John Jackson, Jr.

Racial Paranoia: The Unintended Consequences of Political Correctness

On February 8, 2009, John Jackson came to UUCDC and discussed his book Racial Paranoia: The Unintended Consequences of Political Correctness.

He explored instances of racism in a modern culture where such issues are often swept under the table. He contended that it no longer is politically correct to expose inner feelings that might be deemed as racist, yet that lack of ability to openly explore racist feelings prohibits us as a society from moving forward. He sighted examples of well known situations, such as comedian David Chapelle’s abrupt departure from Comedy Central, to back up his point. The discussion was lively and interactive.

Click the icon to hear him speak, to be a part of what took place at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Delaware County on that day.

John Jackson Jr. is the Richard Perry University Associate Professor of Communications and Anthropology at the University of Pennsylvania. As a documentary filmmaker and prominent scholar of anthropology and communications, Dr. Jackson’s work sheds new lights on issues surrounding race, racism, and class in a society that too many view as post-racist. Dr. Jackson is the author of several books as well as the producer of a variety of documentaries. Before coming to the University of Pennsylvania, Jackson was an associate professor in the Department of Cultural Anthropology at Duke University.

Jackson’s talk was supported by the Homer Jack Fund, honoring the late Homer Jack, a Unitarian Universalist minister who worked for social justice in Delaware County, with a focus on Chester City and is part of the Church's Anti-Racism, Anti-Oppression and Multiculturalism program.