And therein lies the “motte-and-bailey” tactic. One word with two meanings—one highly controversial and the other plain-vanilla-mom-and-apple-pie. They advocate for the former and, when called on it, say they were only talking about the latter.
And therein lies the “motte-and-bailey” tactic. One word with two meanings—one highly controversial and the other plain-vanilla-mom-and-apple-pie. They advocate for the former and, when called on it, say they were only talking about the latter.
The multiple and vague meanings of these terms is their achilles heel. Right now, many professors (like me) justify all sorts of things, like combating cheating, with DEI - stretching the definitions bit by bit. Once we stretch the definitions far enough out of shape, like a borrowed sweater, it will fit everyone.
One day some clever White Supremicist will apply powers of sophistry to include DEI terms in White Supremest statements. ("Our diversity is more than skin deep!")
Once swastika wearing thugs are trumpeting DEI it is officially dead.
And therein lies the “motte-and-bailey” tactic. One word with two meanings—one highly controversial and the other plain-vanilla-mom-and-apple-pie. They advocate for the former and, when called on it, say they were only talking about the latter.
The multiple and vague meanings of these terms is their achilles heel. Right now, many professors (like me) justify all sorts of things, like combating cheating, with DEI - stretching the definitions bit by bit. Once we stretch the definitions far enough out of shape, like a borrowed sweater, it will fit everyone.
One day some clever White Supremicist will apply powers of sophistry to include DEI terms in White Supremest statements. ("Our diversity is more than skin deep!")
Once swastika wearing thugs are trumpeting DEI it is officially dead.