How language makes and unmakes our world: French language policies in Algeria

As part of  our #MDAcademics space, in a two part essay, Barâa Arar discusses the impact of French Language policies in Algeria, how it impacts not only language but a whole culture, and how to overcome. Part One Language is a fundamental hallmark of the human experience. Without language we cannot express trivial things; “Pass… Read More

Why I don’t code switch

Code switching – or the act of altering how one expresses oneself based on the audience – is a fact of life for many Black Americans, with pressure to adopt figures of speech seen as more “white” in professional and other situations. LeRon L. Barton explains why he has learned to resist the practice of… Read More

Liberté, égalité, fraternité and a few ‘Nigger Heads’ please: linguistic bigotry in France

by Guilaine Kinouani My sister once recounted the following story. She was in a boulangerie in Paris (where we lived) queuing up for her pain of the day when it became the turn of the White woman in front of her to be served. There is nothing unusual to report in this scene except perhaps… Read More

Home truths, or Swedish for beginners

by Mara Lee The fundament of home is the community and the feeling of belonging. The good home doesn’t know of any privileged or left out people, no pets, and no stepchildren. Here, nobody looks down on one another. Nobody tries to obtain advantages at somebody else’s expense. The strong neither oppresses nor plunders the… Read More

Western Neutral: Separating Common Culture From “Whiteness”

by Kayla Ancrum This article is a follow up to my very first article on diversity How to Write Women of Colour and Men of Colour if you are White. It was requested by a reader who wanted further explanation on the term “Western Neutral” which I had used when explaining how to write People of Colour. The… Read More