Beyond diversity: Challenging racism in an age of backlash

Anti-racist writer and educator Tim Wise critiques "diversity" efforts on campuses and in corporate America. Unlike conservative criticisms, which claim diversity and multiculturalism have gone too far, this presentation focuses on how most "tolerance" training amounts to little more than a feel-good approach, which fails to address the fundamental structures of racism and inequality.
Since it is these institutional realities that cause a lack of "diversity" in the first place, failure to discuss strategies for changing the current distribution of power will doom diversity efforts to failure. Focusing on personal prejudice rather than institutional bias is shown to be inadequate for building an anti-racist movement. The negative impact on all Americans that results from failing to address structural racism is discussed in detail.
Tim Wise presented "Beyond diversity: Challenging racism in an age of backlash" on April 18, 2013 at the first Statewide Collaborative Diversity Conference.