Ethnicity and Race: Canadian Minority Writing at a Crossroads

Abstract

The re-emergence of race as a prominent factor in Canadian social and literary discourse raises the question of where Canadian race and ethnic relations are headed. This paper looks at two possible scenarios, one in which race provides the “irreducible and fundamental constitution of the social order” and one in which a multiplicity of elements, including race and ethnicity, provide such a basis, Canadian minority writing, it is argued, offers some insights into the second “pluralistic” scenario, since minority writers from a variety of backgrounds share a consensus on the relationship between cultural issues and social dominance and share a common interest in exploring intersecting boundaries.