Reply to comment

Although it is often taken for granted, the different ways in which we communicate are vast--ranging from explicit to nuanced even unspoken.  Writing, body language, eye motions, speech, multimedia/artistic expression, and overall presence are examples of some of the different ways in which we communicate--especially when one exists in a spaces such as Elijah Anderson's "Cosmopolitan Canopy."  These spaces are founded on principles of civility, tolerance, and goodwill--therefore promoting interracial interactions, both interpersonal and impersonal, between inhabitants of the canopy.  Given the highly integrated nature of cosmopolitan canopies racial tensions are a common occurence, which inherently break/disrespect the principles they are founded on. 

After reading Cosmopolitan Canopy I was left feeling unsatisfied and annoyed.  I think this was because of Anderson's sociological method of using Weber's ideal types, tended to generalize races into the socially constructed oppressive stereotypes placed on them by society already:  blacks=distrustful and uncivil; whites=trusting and good.  I felt that within cosmopolitan canopies, Black people had to prove themselves more and "perform" in an VERY normative way whereas Whites seemed to just exist. 

I guess this seemed rather obvious to me because after reading I felt that Bryn Mawr was the ULTIMATE cosmopolitan canopy, however now I think that our interactions are more personal due to various traditions, academic pursuits, and dominant "feminist" ideology.  Although I also think these are points of discourse and cleavage amongst community and institutional members due to different lived experiences and racial/ethinic identities.  Although these stereotypes are so real, they are incredibly hard for me to swallow--to understand that this is how others ACTUALLY think.  It is difficult to think that in academia--people/persons can be grouped together in a way that limits voices and only allows for certain people to make generalizations and language for them. 

I guess this is really just a reflection of our reality--that this is a normative-functionalist practice.  However if you actually think about all the hyper-socialization that is actually necessary to socially reproduce two polar opposite realities:  a racial caste system/negative difference, but can then be a "post-racial" or "diverse" or "color blind" (all my LEAST favorite words) community (society?).

Is this a metaphor for language?