OXFORD, Miss. \u2013 The use of racial language will be explored Thursday (Oct. 3) in a symposium at the University of Mississippi.<\/p>\n
The session on “The Semantics and Ethics of Racial Language,” presented by the Department of Philosophy and Religion and co-sponsored by several UM departments, is slated for 9 a.m.-6:30 p.m. in the Gertrude Ford Ballroom at The Inn at Ole Miss. It is free and open to the public.<\/p>\n
The symposium explores a host of issues around the use of racially-offensive language, said Donovan Wishon, an assistant professor of philosophy who organized the event.<\/p>\n
“Everyone knows that racial slurs are generally offensive, divisive and morally objectionable,” Wishon said. “But this still leaves us with a host of unanswered questions: What exactly makes them so offensive? Why do slurs vary in offense across groups? Why do different slurs designating the same groups differ in their offensiveness? How can slurs admit of nonoffensive uses in special contexts? What explains their moral significance? Why is the use of racial slurs deemed acceptable by some? What role does racial language play in shaping political and civil society?”<\/p>\n
The event brings together regional experts from several different disciplines to “open dialogue about racial language” by looking at several aspects of the use of those words. The symposium concludes with a roundtable discussion in which the experts will reflect on the lessons from the conference.<\/p>\n
For more information about the event, or for assistance related to a disability, contact the Department of Philosophy and Religion at 915-7020.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"