Jacobin Radio The Dig: Woke Wars w/ Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor, Olúfẹ́mi Táíwò, & Mike McCarthy
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Feb 27, 2025 Olúfẹ́mi O. Táíwò, a philosophy professor at Georgetown and author, joins Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor, a Princeton professor and co-founder of Hammer and Hope, along with UC Santa Cruz's sociology director, Mike McCarthy. They dive into the backlash against diversity initiatives, the rise of white supremacy, and the pitfalls of liberal identity politics. The conversation critiques the corporate embrace of Christian nationalism and emphasizes the need for class solidarity amidst increasing racism, urging a reassessment of strategies in the fight for social justice.
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Woke as MAGA's Ideological Banner
- "Woke" and DEI are now central motifs used to legitimize the MAGA authoritarian agenda, serving as a cultural framing for their politics.
- This framing allows the right to scapegoat and deflect from their lack of actual solutions to real societal problems.
The Right's Long War
- The right's attack on DEI is part of a long-term effort to dismantle the social welfare state, using racism as a tool.
- They exploit resentments towards individual-focused DEI practices to advance their broader agenda.
Reconstituting Cultural Dominance
- The right's anti-woke backlash stems from their loss of cultural legitimacy after movements like Black Lives Matter.
- This backlash is a way for the ruling class to reassert its cultural dominance and justify its wealth.
