DATE & TIME
April 11, 2016
6:30 PM - 8:30 PM
LOCATION
Hunter College (Faculty Dining Room) 8th floor Hunter West
DESCRIPTION
Guest Speaker
Harris Beider
Professor, Community Cohesion at the Centre for Trust, Peace and Social Relations, Coventry University, UK
Visiting Professor, School of International and Public Affairs, Columbia University
White Working Class Voices: Multiculturalism, Community-Building and Change
Based on a new book published by University of Chicago Press and Policy Press, this presentation will discuss how the policy retreat of multiculturalism in the UK has created space for white working class identities to be rehabilitated. In short, the white working class has transitioned from being viewed as being problematic and pathologised to being included in narratives on British identity at the expense of minority groups especially British Muslims. Whilst national political narratives may be contradictory and confused the presentation will suggest that local lived experiences shows much more support for the reality of multiculturalism and inclusive notions of identity and community building. This is far removed from the ‘local clash of civilisations pedalled by some in the political class creating space for a new type of dialogue between white working class communities and minority communities.
About Harris Beider
Harris Beider is Professor of Community Cohesion at the Centre for Trust, Peace and Social Relations at Coventry University and Visiting Professor at the School of International and Public Affairs in Columbia University, New York City where he teaches on comparative perspectives on race, politics and migration. Previously he was Senior Fellow at the Centre for Urban and Regional Studies at the University of Birmingham. Prior to his academic career, Harris was Executive Director of the Federation of Black Housing Organizations and National Director of People for Action. He has published widely in the areas of race, identity, public policy and politics including more than 40 articles and three books. Harris has a BA in Politics from the University of Warwick and completed his PhD at University of Birmingham. He was born in Karachi, Pakistan but moved to the UK as an infant and grew up in inner city Birmingham, England .
RSVP to Marisol Otero-Morales, aotero@hunter.cuny.edu, by April 8, 2016.
UMAH’s are hosted by the Urban Policy and Planning Department and sponsored by GUAPA (Graduate Urban Affairs and Planning Association)