In a recent NPR podcast entitled “Is it time to say RIP to POC?”, host Shareen Marisol Meraji declared, “race doesn’t make any sense- so none of the terms associated with it do”. The podcast sought to address issues surrounding preferred terminology associated with “race” and “ethnicity”. For example, should I use the term BAME or is people of colour a preferable option? I like to think that working in education, we are well intentioned people who like to keep abreast of issues, stay informed and are guided by principles of inclusivity and egalitarianism. But, to be blunt, this subject matter is tricky. There is a plethora of discourse and debate about what we say and to whom. Academics with far more experience, time and expertise than I, spend lifetimes studying language and the significance of the labels we use. This is simply a short blog which attempts to address some key issues and to stimulate thought. The more I looked into the topic of preferred terminology, the more I came to agree with Ms Meraji’s sentiment. Making sense of ‘race’ is not easy. So why bother?
