by Eric Rauchway

If you said to me, "today's arguments for cultural diversity leave economic inequality unaddressed," I would say, "too true." If you followed up with, "in fact, arguments for cultural diversity bear a nastily close resemblance to arguments for essential racial or other genetic identity," I would say, "you make an interesting point, there." And if you concluded with, "so maybe we should talk less about cultural diversity and more about economic inequality," I wouldn't fight you on it. So why did Walter Benn Michaels's new book, The Trouble with Diversity, which makes these points, discomfit me and a whole lot of other contributors to the symposium at The Valve? Well, you might look over there (and at the rest of the normally excellent and astute Valve) to find out. I will say, I did enjoy the provocative cover image of multicultural lambs-for-the-slaughter. Bourgeoisie, especially academic bourgeoisie, consider yourselves épatered.