Carla offers some unique perspective on the controversial Rachel Dolezal case in an article published in The Chronicle of Higher Education on June 19th.
"But what if Dolezal and Miss Anne are both logically right and culturally wrong? Even if social constructionism supports Dolezal?s choices, wouldn't a nuanced understanding of culture suggest that volunteering for an identity is most ethical when—and if—it is also invited, and welcomed, by the community one wishes to join? Recognizing that race is a social construction need not mean believing that race is 'elective' or that we can choose to be whatever we want. The same cultural respect that fosters advocacy and activism can help delineate when volunteering slides into imposition and deception."