2001 Race and Ethniciity: A Global Inquiry

In an era of mass migrations, ethnic cleansing and oppression, EPIIC will confront the contentious transnational constructs and realities of race and ethnicity. What are their theories and histories? What are the vexing ethical and biological issues? How do identity formation (race, ethnicity, class, nationalism, gender), citizenship, political participation, power relationships, and nation-state consolidation affect public policy and inter- and intra-group interactions? This will be a multidisciplinary introduction to the current intellectual discourse an decisive policy debates over dilemmas of power, prejudice, and discrimination.

The symposium will probe the meanings and manipulations of the politics of recognition, of culture and identity, and consider the principles and practices of justice and reconciliation. Against a backdrop of historical and contemporary stratification segregation and xenophobia -- in Bosnia, Brazil, France, Germany, Nigeria, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, the U.S. and beyond -- we will explore the political and psychological factors in racial and ethnic conflict.

And, we will investigate ethnic conflict an peacekeeping in multiethnic societies; diasporas; immigration; environmental racism; race, crime, and the law in democratic nations; indigenous rights and development; reparations; strategies for inter-racial and inter-ethnic coalition building; an means of transforming cultures of intolerance.

Finally, we were pleased to award Dr. Jean Mayer Global Citizenship Awards to K. Anthony Appiah, Pumla Gobodo-Madikizela, Richard J. Goldstone, Donald L. Horowitz, Ronald Takaki, and John Wallach.