Being equipped to confront issues related to racial
and ethnic diversity is a crucial skill for Canadians. Completely reorganized
and expanded, this new edition of Seeing Ourselves uses a collection of
personal comments and essays, written by students from a wide variety of ethnic
backgrounds, to examine what it means to participate in the cultural and ethnic
“mosaic” that comprises Canada today. Carl James creates a dialogue
with students and readers that probes the meaning of ethnicity, race and
culture, both in terms of the meanings individuals bring to these concepts and
how they are understood in Canadian society as a whole.
The varied
perspectives, detailed analyses and careful reflections will be invaluable to
anyone seeking to understand the meaning and implications of ethnic diversity
in Canadian society today. To facilitate classroom discussion, this edition
also includes background information and new, up-to-date statistics on the
Canadian population — immigration trends, ethnic composition, religious
affiliation and other characteristics of Canadians.
Contents:
Introduction: A Chance to See Diversity and Difference Differently —
Difficult knowledge, contentious subject: Would it help to change the lens in
order to construct the picture from a different angle?
- Culture and Identity — Where are you from?; Who possess
culture?; Constructing “other”: The “us-them”
categorization; Essence talk?; The era of democracy and equity talk
- Race Ethnicity and Cultural Identities — Race and the
social construction of identity; On the question of naming: Confusion and
contradictions; Ethnicity as part of social identity; The hyphenated Canadian;
Privilege, race and ethnicity: Exploring the meanings of dominant group
membership; Encounters in race, recognizing privileges
- Negotiating Identities and Contending with Difference: The
Early Years — Family, community and identity; Contending with difference
and trying to “fit in;” Summary; Discussion
- Similarities and Difference: Making Comparisons — What
English Canadians learn from and about First Nations individuals; Comparisons
of English Canadians and French Canadians; Religious comparison—Judaism
and Catholicism; Comparisons of religious and family life; Comparisons of
family life, roles and values: English, Chinese, Mexico and Vietnamese
- Stereotyping, Racism and Discrimination; Structural Barriers
to Social Interactions and Opportunities — Ethnocentrism; Prejudice;
Stereotyping; Discrimination; Racial jokes: Representation of racist beliefs?
Discrimination perhaps?; Minority group members: Their feelings and reactions;
Seeing beyond the stereotypes: Theorizing about the sources; Theorizing about
the sources of stereotyping, racism and discrimination; Eliminating racism and
discrimination is more than having friends who are...; Conclusion: Advocacy is
necessary; Institutionalized racism and Canadian history: Notes of a Black
Canadian, by Adrienne Shadd
- Immigrants and Refugees: Who Really Gets In? —Why does
Canada need immigrants?; What are immigrants and refugees worth to Canada?;
Speak English: “To live in Rome you should live as Romans do;” The
social construction of racial and ethnic minority Canadians as immigrants;
Despite the limitations, immigrants remain our resourceful resources
- Culture, Multiculturalism and the Ideology of Integration
— Toward an understanding of culture; Ethnic and racial diversity and
culture; The policy of multiculturalism and expectations of Anglo-conformity;
Students’ views of multiculturalism: Misconceptions, unfounded claims and
historically uninformed
- Equity Programs: Are They Really Changing Things? —
Employment equity: Contradictory, frustrating nauseating, disturbing;
Discussion: Challenging perception of equity; “Reverse Racism”: Is
there such a thing?; More than individual attitudes; The critical juncture; The
question of merit; White privilege!; Addressing the issues
- Reflections: What was Gained and What was Expected? —
Paul: The prejudices I have are not without basis; Constructing identity:
“The biggest influence in my life now is me;” Making comparisons:
“I was and for the most part still am, politely racist’”
Reflections—Diary entries; Discussion: How much did Paul learn really?;
Concluding Notes; Discussion: Not only a matter of individual’s attitudes
Postscript — A final note
Index.
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