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Re: Cultures and books as bridges OR If beautiful, not true, If true, not beautiful
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From: Christine Taylor-Butler <kansascitymom_at_earthlink.net>
Date: Thu, 27 Feb 2014 17:02:06 -0600
I don't even know where to start.
Your analysis perpetuates the myth that to sell a book you must please the dominant culture hence your conclusion that books written ABOUT minorities BY the dominant culture are preferable. Further, you state that to increase the "variety and quality of CSK" books the criterion should be changed to allow dominant authors to write them (even if they may get some of it wrong). An odd conclusion since according to the CBCC the majority of books about minorities are written by people in the dominant culture.
1. You used your own children's negative reactions to books written by Australian Aborigines to inform an opinion that a white person is more equipped to tell those stories in a manner that is relatable to other white people. I think we should give every one else's children more credit than that. I also wonder why one would travel to a foreign county then not be interested in helping their children become fluent in those languages. It's like going to France but insisting that any cultural stories be told in American English.
2. Lack of interest in CSK is not an issue of quality. It is an issue of a narrow criterion for subject matter (heavily centered on a negative period of time in history) and lack of marketing from the publishers to inform the world the books exist. Books written by a dominant culture suffer the same fate. So I am curious how your data informs such a narrow conclusion.
But mostly - I'm continually fascinated that the conclusion is that the dominant culture is more well-versed in being a cultural ambassador for minority voices and experiences than the reverse even if they are well meaning but get some aspects wrong.
Is that not the very definition of white privilege being used to define both the problem and the cure from their own experience and perspective?
In my personal travels - which has involved working with children outside of my own family - I've found students to be exceptionally resilient and eager to learn about new cultures and more adept at adopting accents and nuances than the adults in their lives. Would that we think of them as intelligent beings - possibly more flexible��..Christine
Date: Thu, 27 Feb 2014 17:02:06 -0600
I don't even know where to start.
Your analysis perpetuates the myth that to sell a book you must please the dominant culture hence your conclusion that books written ABOUT minorities BY the dominant culture are preferable. Further, you state that to increase the "variety and quality of CSK" books the criterion should be changed to allow dominant authors to write them (even if they may get some of it wrong). An odd conclusion since according to the CBCC the majority of books about minorities are written by people in the dominant culture.
1. You used your own children's negative reactions to books written by Australian Aborigines to inform an opinion that a white person is more equipped to tell those stories in a manner that is relatable to other white people. I think we should give every one else's children more credit than that. I also wonder why one would travel to a foreign county then not be interested in helping their children become fluent in those languages. It's like going to France but insisting that any cultural stories be told in American English.
2. Lack of interest in CSK is not an issue of quality. It is an issue of a narrow criterion for subject matter (heavily centered on a negative period of time in history) and lack of marketing from the publishers to inform the world the books exist. Books written by a dominant culture suffer the same fate. So I am curious how your data informs such a narrow conclusion.
But mostly - I'm continually fascinated that the conclusion is that the dominant culture is more well-versed in being a cultural ambassador for minority voices and experiences than the reverse even if they are well meaning but get some aspects wrong.
Is that not the very definition of white privilege being used to define both the problem and the cure from their own experience and perspective?
In my personal travels - which has involved working with children outside of my own family - I've found students to be exceptionally resilient and eager to learn about new cultures and more adept at adopting accents and nuances than the adults in their lives. Would that we think of them as intelligent beings - possibly more flexible��..Christine
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Received on Thu 27 Feb 2014 05:02:32 PM CST
