Dwem
Dwem is an acronym for dead white European male (German “dead white European man”) and a catchphrase in cultural and literary studies , especially in the USA . It is closely related to the discourse of political correctness and is used disparagingly for intellectuals of European descent.
term
As dwems be by the opponents of traditional educational canon called philosophers, writers and other historical sizes in schools and universities as important and for Western culture are considered constitutive, or about Aristotle or Shakespeare . In contrast, reformers, some of whom have been inspired by feminist or Marxist theories, have often since the 1970s been demanding that the achievements of women, blacks, ethnic minorities, immigrants, or third-world authors be included in the curriculum. These reformers include the philosophers Charles Taylor and Jürgen Habermas .
Critics of these reforms such as the political scientist Charles Murray , on the other hand, point out that modern mankind owes almost all of its achievements in science and technology to ancient Europe. Science and technology historians outside Europe would also always come to this conclusion.
literature
- Bernard MacGregor Walker Knox : The Oldest Dead White European Males and Other Reflections on the Classics . 1993. Reprinted in 1994
- Günter Rieger: Political correctness. In: Dieter Nohlen, Rainer-Olaf Schultze: Lexicon of Political Science. Volume 2, N-Z. CH Beck, Munich 2005, ISBN 3-406-54117-8 , p. 696
See also
Individual evidence
- ↑ Charles Murray: "Europe, you were better". In: Die Zeit , No. 18 of April 22, 2004