Hegemons arise by smashing and terrorizing human diversity. They do so structurally, institutionally, and discursively—that is, through logics, rationales, and schemes. In this special issue, we grapple with the racism problem that pervades communication studies. In fact, the discipline has long had a racism problem, silenced by overarching structures that deploy the language of civility to erase conversations that call out this problem. This special issue, “Merit, Whiteness, and Privilege,” focuses on the racial, ideological, and epistemological logics, rationales, and schemes, such as falsely separating scholarly merit from diversity, that the status quo in communication studies employs to keep minority peoples marginalized. We contend that looking at the racism problem that pervades communication studies from a perspective of whiteness deepens our understanding of this problem in profound ways.
Introduction to Special Issue on Merit, Whiteness, and Privilege
Amardo Rodriguez is Professor in the Department of Communication and Rhetorical Studies at Syracuse University. Correspondence to: Amardo Rodriguez, Department of Communication and Rhetorical Studies, 100 Sims Hall, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY 13244, USA. Email: [email protected].
Mohan J. Dutta is Dean's Chair Professor of Communication and Director of the Center for Culture-centered Approach to Research and Evaluation (CARE) at Massey University. Correspondence to: Mohan J. Dutta, School of Communication, Journalism and Marketing, College of Business, Massey University, Private Bag 11-222, Palmerston North, 4442, New Zealand. Email: [email protected].
Elizabeth F. Desnoyers-Colas is Associate Professor, and Armstrong Campus Communication Studies Coordinator in the Communication Arts Department at Georgia Southern University. Correspondence to: Elizabeth F. Desnoyers-Colas, Georgia Southern University, Armstrong Campus, 11935 Abercorn Street, Savannah, GA 31419, USA. Email: [email protected].
Amardo Rodriguez, Mohan J. Dutta, Elizabeth F. Desnoyers-Colas; Introduction to Special Issue on Merit, Whiteness, and Privilege. Departures in Critical Qualitative Research 1 December 2019; 8 (4): 3–9. doi: https://doi.org/10.1525/dcqr.2019.8.4.3
Download citation file:
Sign in
Client Account
Sign in via your Institution
Sign in via your Institution
University of California Press