Conservative and liberal critics have taken strong issue with identity politics, especially in the past few decades. Many of these critics downplay the ongoing violence of racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, and ableism that continue to provoke identity-based organizing in the present day. I would like to offer some reflections on why identity politics movements strengthen rather than weaken the Left and why we all need to support identity-based organizing if we are to address the ongoing, dismal realities of racial exclusion and overt and institutional discrimination against historically oppressed populations.
Conservative critics often use “multiculturalism” as a synonym for “identity politics” in their line of attack. These conservative critics have maintained that a multicultural vision, especially in higher education, has led to an extreme fragmentation in society. They claim that programs and emphases on particular racial, ethnic, and sexual orientation groups can balkanize America and threaten Western culture and...
