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May. 24th, 2007
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Now that i've been introduced to the idea of "affinity politics," i am strongly tempted to say goodbye to identity politics forever.
The problem i've always had with identity politics is that it is based on an idea that can be twisted into something divisive. It works like this: people A, B, and C all identify as "X," and qua "X," they all have the same concerns. So they should band together!
It sounds great, but it is all too easily turned around. "You're not 'X' enough." "You're not a true 'X'." "I want to do W, but if i do, i'm not an 'X' anymore and my X friends will reject me." "I'm not X, but i'm Y, let's call this the 'XY' coalition." "Hey, i'm a 'Z,' you left me out."
Affinity politics does not parse the world in terms of how people identify themselves. It is still a form of Critical neo-Marxism, but the coalition is not based on how one identifies, but rather on where people find themselves in the web of oppression. The basis of affinity politics is the conscious formation of a coalition, rather than the realization of an identity within oneself. You are free to coalition with people who are like or unlike you; therefore it does not matter if everyone in the coalition shares a single characteristic, or performs that characteristic dutifully enough. No more being expelled if you aren't X enough or you want to do W.
It is the next step in consciousness raising beyond identity politics. Each of us begins in a state of unawareness of the web of oppression around us. Then you start to notice that everyone who is female, or who is gay, or who is black, is mistreated in certain systematic ways. You get together with other people who are female, or black, or gay, to talk about these things. So you start to think that everyone who is female, or black, or gay, has a unifying experience that makes you natural allies.
And then you're disillusioned to discover that this is not the case! So you're tempted to go back to step one and just give up on the whole thing. But a better next step is to form an affinity coalition. What binds the people in an affinity coalition is a similar point of view, and a similar desire for action, based loosely on having the same identity. An affinity coalition is inclusive in the same way that an identity group tends towards being exclusive.
My first encounter with such an idea was the use of the term "wo/man" by feminist theologian Elisabeth Schuessler Fiorenza:
( Read more... )
The downside is that when you're forming a coalition you can find at times that the people around you make you very uncomfortable. Bernice Johnson Reagon gave the quintessential description of this in 1981:
( Read more... )
Despite the difficulties, i think the future of radicalism is in affinity politics rather than identity politics. Let me give two examples of affinity orientations: "Women of color," and "Deep Lez."
Donna Haraway is often credited as calling attention to the idea of affinity politics in her Cyborg Manifesto. From that piece:
( Read more... )
"Deep Lez," a concept put forward by activist and performance artist Allyson Mitchell, is envisioned as a renewal of radical lesbianism. Mitchell's description of Deep Lez, from an interview, carries the same "oppositional consciousness" noted above by Haraway.
( Read more... )
The problem i've always had with identity politics is that it is based on an idea that can be twisted into something divisive. It works like this: people A, B, and C all identify as "X," and qua "X," they all have the same concerns. So they should band together!
It sounds great, but it is all too easily turned around. "You're not 'X' enough." "You're not a true 'X'." "I want to do W, but if i do, i'm not an 'X' anymore and my X friends will reject me." "I'm not X, but i'm Y, let's call this the 'XY' coalition." "Hey, i'm a 'Z,' you left me out."
Affinity politics does not parse the world in terms of how people identify themselves. It is still a form of Critical neo-Marxism, but the coalition is not based on how one identifies, but rather on where people find themselves in the web of oppression. The basis of affinity politics is the conscious formation of a coalition, rather than the realization of an identity within oneself. You are free to coalition with people who are like or unlike you; therefore it does not matter if everyone in the coalition shares a single characteristic, or performs that characteristic dutifully enough. No more being expelled if you aren't X enough or you want to do W.
It is the next step in consciousness raising beyond identity politics. Each of us begins in a state of unawareness of the web of oppression around us. Then you start to notice that everyone who is female, or who is gay, or who is black, is mistreated in certain systematic ways. You get together with other people who are female, or black, or gay, to talk about these things. So you start to think that everyone who is female, or black, or gay, has a unifying experience that makes you natural allies.
And then you're disillusioned to discover that this is not the case! So you're tempted to go back to step one and just give up on the whole thing. But a better next step is to form an affinity coalition. What binds the people in an affinity coalition is a similar point of view, and a similar desire for action, based loosely on having the same identity. An affinity coalition is inclusive in the same way that an identity group tends towards being exclusive.
My first encounter with such an idea was the use of the term "wo/man" by feminist theologian Elisabeth Schuessler Fiorenza:
( Read more... )
The downside is that when you're forming a coalition you can find at times that the people around you make you very uncomfortable. Bernice Johnson Reagon gave the quintessential description of this in 1981:
( Read more... )
Despite the difficulties, i think the future of radicalism is in affinity politics rather than identity politics. Let me give two examples of affinity orientations: "Women of color," and "Deep Lez."
Donna Haraway is often credited as calling attention to the idea of affinity politics in her Cyborg Manifesto. From that piece:
( Read more... )
"Deep Lez," a concept put forward by activist and performance artist Allyson Mitchell, is envisioned as a renewal of radical lesbianism. Mitchell's description of Deep Lez, from an interview, carries the same "oppositional consciousness" noted above by Haraway.
( Read more... )