Debating Race Relations: A Forum on Ethnicity in America

Dr. Pepi Leistyna, a professor at the University of Massachusetts in Boston, gave a lecture on the concept of "Racenicity: The Whitewashing of Ethnicity" this past Friday as part of the Graduate School Symposium Lecture Series.

The lecture introduced Stony Brook students to a different perspective on race relations, centered on the idea of "whiteness" as the dominating factor in tensions arising between cultures today in America.

Leistyna’s unique approach to multiculturalism and race relations is rooted in his idea of "racenicity". It is the process through which the sociohistorical and ideological construction of race, especially "whiteness," has had a significant impact on defining national identity, ethnicity, and the perception of ethnic differences in the United States.

"Multiculturalism is going in to examine the conditions that create inferiority," Leistyna asserted.

He argued that other studies of multiculturalism and causes of racism "never look at the point of reference that creates the margins between cultures: ‘whiteness’". His focus is on those methods that are used to draw cultural margins around different races in America.

The lecture also included a discussion of social class, media influence, gender, sexuality, age, and religion. Leistyna spoke about how whiteness is used to shape culture and minds.

"How am I supposed to get my information from NBC or ABC, which are run by Time Warner and other billion dollar corporations that have vested interests in the US defense department?" he asked. His assertion is that ideas of race are very tightly associated with media presentations and the interests of those in power.

"I expose students to real issues, not multiculturalism, but ideas, values, and real situations," Leistyna explained.

He pointed out the various methods by which American education, judicial system, and government agencies "work to take and categorize and shape cultures and groups of people."

The event highligted an introductory lecture by Dr. Leistyna on the concept of "racenicity" and its historical implications in America and an open dialogue between Dr. Leistyna and participants. This included a roundtable response and discussion by several members of the Stony Brook graduate student and faculty community, and the showing of "The Color of Fear," a documentary on race relations.

"The stories he told were especially eye opening and made me see a new side to racial problems," undergraduateTracy Joseph said.

Others were more critical of the arguments posed by Leistyna. "More credit should have been given to all the improvements we’ve had in race relations over the past few decades and the progress that we are slowly making in this country," freshman Joici Job said.

Dr. Pepi Leistyna graduated with a BA in Journalism and a BA in French from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, and an MA and Doctorate in language development, pedagogy, and multicultural theory from Harvard University. He authored the books "Presence of Mind: Education and the Politics of Deception", and "Defining and Designing Multiculturalism: One School System's Efforts". He currently teaches courses in linguistics, methodology and cross cultural issues at the University of Massachusetts in Boston.