Who sets the terms of the debate? Heterotopic intellectuals and the clash of discourses

Authors
Citation
P. Werbner, Who sets the terms of the debate? Heterotopic intellectuals and the clash of discourses, THEOR CUL S, 17(1), 2000, pp. 147
Citations number
28
Categorie Soggetti
Sociology & Antropology
Journal title
THEORY CULTURE & SOCIETY
ISSN journal
02632764 → ACNP
Volume
17
Issue
1
Year of publication
2000
Database
ISI
SICI code
0263-2764(200002)17:1<147:WSTTOT>2.0.ZU;2-Y
Abstract
In response to Bourdieu and Wacquant, I argue that American hegemony in set ting the terms of debate on ethnicity and racism is nothing new, led in the first half of the century by US heterotopic intellectuals, immigrants, out siders and descendants of slaves. Ironically, in the light of claims made b y the authors, in the post-war era the debate is increasingly dominated by ex-imperial British and French postcolonial thinkers. The authors' disquiet is more explicable, however, if viewed against die background of French re publican discourses that deny the legitimacy of 'difference' in the public sphere. But in the final analysis, terms such as multiculturalism or ethnic ity are not legislated from above but respond to grassroots social movement s, and in France minority groups are presently claiming: a voice and presen ce in the public sphere.