The Multicultural Panopticon

The Multicultural Panopticon: Paradoxes of unity, identity, and equality in Canada Gerald P. Kernerman A thesis subrnitted to the Faculty of Graduate Studies in partial filfiIIment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Graduate Programme in Political Science York University Toronto, Ontario National Library Bibliothèque nationale 1*1 of Canada du Canada Acquisitions and Acquisitions et Bibliographic Services services bibliographiques 395 Wellington Street 395. rue Wellington Ottawa ON KIA ON4 Ottawa ON KIA ON4 Canada Canada ro~rlilevotre rélérence Our lYe Notre refdrence The author has granted a non- L'auteur a accordé une licence non exclusive licence allowing the exclusive permettant à la National Library of Canada to Bibliothèque nationale du Canada de reproduce, loan, distribute or seli reproduire, prêter, distribuer ou copies of this thesis in rnicroform, vendre des copies de cette thèse sous paper or electronïc formats. la forme de microfiche/nlm, de reproduction sur papier ou sur format électronique. The author retaîns ownership of the L'auteur conserve la propriété du copyright in this thesis. Neither the droit d'auteur qui protège cette thèse. thesis nor substantial extracts fkom it Ni la thèse ni des extraits substantiels may be printed or otherwise de celle-ci ne doivent être imprimés reproduced without the author's ou autrement reproduits sans son permission. autorisation. The MuIticulturaI Panopticon: Paradoxes of Unity, ldentity and Equality in Canada by Gerald P. Kememan a dissertation subrnitted to the Faculty of Graduate Studies of York University in partial fulfillrnent of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY O Permission has been granted to the LIBRARY OF YORK UNIVERSITY to lend or seIl copies of this dissertation, to the NATIONAL LIBRARY OF CANADA to microfilm this dissertation and to lend or seIl copies of the film, and to UNIVERSITY MICROFILMS to publish an abstract of this dissertation. The author reserves other publication rights, and neither the dissertation nor extensive extracts from it rnay be printed or otherwise reproduced without the author's written permission. Abstract This study anaiyzes the impasse of Canadian unity. Canadians cannot help but search for unity - it is the Canadian imperative - yet, paradoxically, the imperative itself, centred on a logic of identity and the pursuit of cohesion, is the greatest cause of the impasse. To anaIyze this paradox, the study begins by examining the Canadian approach to diversity, where diversity is celebrated even as it is feared as a constant source of fragmentation. The threat of diversity generates an ongoing search for mechanisms that will bind Canadians together in the unified fom of the multicultural mosaic. Drawing fkom Foucault, the study examines a form of liberal govemmentality directed at managing diversity, demonstrating that multiculturalism is a panoptic process, driven by a logic of identity, where Canadians are trained to engage in mutual identity surveillance. This process provides recognizable identities that can then be monitored for deviances that threaten the whoie. Having depicted the logic of identity, the study examines the antagonism at the heart of the Canadian impasse, an antagonism centred on a failure to displace the dichotomous debate between equal and differentiated citizenship, using analyses of the 1969 "Indian White Paper" and the 1997 Calgary Declaration. As attempts to impose equal citizenship to contain Aboriginal Peoples and Quebec, these texts are rejected in favour of differentiation. Yet difference, when opposed to equality, often assumes its own unEed and totalizing character, promoting an intractable struggle between sharpened counter-unities. A critique of Charles Taylor's 1iberaVcommunitarian thesis shows that the impasse revolves instead around competing paths to unity that take the form of symmetry (equal citizens and provinces) vs. asymmetry (Taylor's "deep diversitf'). The equalitykiiierence dichotomy is reinforced by demands for recognition over mutually exclusive and reified categories of identity and nation. Therefore, the logic of identity and the imperative to unity represent the basis for the Canadian impasse: the unity irnperative is self-defeatiing. To counteract this process, it is necessary to shift the terms of debate so that unity - and attempts to achieve unity - becomes the object of constant critical scrutiny, making a space for the dynamic interplay of equality and difference. As a graduate student, 1 have been very fortunate to cany out this project with the supportive guidance of many wonderfùl scholars, fellow graduate students, firiends and family in a variety of intellectuaiiy stimulating environrnents. As academic communities go, the Graduate Programme in Political Science at York University is an intellectual tour de force - certainly the most vibrant and engaging community that 1have ever been a part of The exceptional theoreticai breadth and sophistication of rny fellow graduate students, not to mention the faculty, have made York an ideal place to pursue research in contemporary social and political thought. At York, 1 have been very fortunate to have had excellent supervision. 1 am especially grateful to Reg Whitaker who oversaw this project with great care; 1 will always have fond mernories of our many engaging discussions (while drinking espresso at his house) as this project slowly emerged. Not one to undertake (or inflict) heavy surveillance, Reg was nonetheless always attentive and conscientious. Ken McRoberts provided incisive comments and demonstrated a knack for helping guide me in areas that needed fùrther development. And Shannon Bell has been a wonderfit1 teacher and an enthusiastic supporter throughout. Much of the writing of this dissertation was undertaken while 1 was a Visiting Fellow at the Walt Whitman Center for the Culture and Politics of Democracy at Rutgers University. 1 wouId like to thank the Canada-U. S. Fulbnght Foundation for making this Fellowship possible as well as Joan Scott, of the Institute for Advanced Study at Princeton, for sponsoring my visit, and helping to guide my research and providing me with wonderfiilly engaging and insightfùl cornments. At the Whitman Centre, Ben Barber generously provided me with resources that a graduate student could normally only wish for, as well as helpfil feedback and an exceptional inteltectual environment. Kevin Mattson, Jennifer Gano, and Lenore Ritch made my stay at the Whitman Centre thoroughiy enjoyable. In addition, Rutgers also has a remarkable group of political theory graduate students, especially in the area of feminist theory, and 1benefited fiom engaging with a number of them, especially Susan Craig and Karen Zivi. It is difficult to identify the genesis of any project; the present study is, in important respects, an extension of my attempts to tackle a set of problems that I began examining in my MA thesis at UBC under the supe~sionof Aian Cairns. Although Alan himself did not engage directly with this stage in my research, 1see it as a continuation of our conversations, and his support and encouragement dong the way have been very important. In addition to Fulbnght, scholarly suppon for this project was generously provided by the Social Sciences and Hurnanities Research Council of Canada, the Ontario vii Govemment 's graduate scholarship programme (OGS), and the Faculty of Graduate Studies at York for a Ramsay Cook Research Fellowship as well as travel fiinding. Marlene Quesenberry, Karen Ramdohr, George Comninel, Greg Albo, and Steve Newman have provided administrative support, guidance, and cheefil advice throughout. A number of fiiends and colleagues provided feedback and support during this process: 1 thank the political theory dissertation group at York - Andrew Biro, Barbara Falk, Ruth Groff; Pam Leach, and Joanne Wright - as well as Kate Bezanson, Lynette Boulet, Deborah Clipperton, Sue Daniel, Andrea Marrington, Tom Markus, Stacey Mayhall, Tom Rado, David Rittenberg, Sean Saraka, and Christine SauInier. 1am very lucb to have the kind of family that most academics could only drearn about: supportive, caring, and helpfùl to the extreme. Each member - and 1 mean each member - has done something to heip me dong at crucial points, but Charles, Edith, Howard, and Philip deserve special thanks. My mother has tirelessly read every page with a keen eye to style, organization, argument and much more. Together, my parents have never failed to do everything in their power to facilitate rny studies - providing truly unwavering support. 1 dedicate this project to them. Finally, throughout this long project, my partner Leah Vosko has provided helpfùl and enthusiastic feedback and razor sharp editing skills - and 1 could not have completed it without her loving support and companionship. Preface This is a study in contemporary Canadian political thought, a audy that aims to transform the way we theorize the impasse of Canadian unity. I am well aware that this is a rather grand objective. After ail, this is not exactly fiesh terrain- Yet it is precisely because so many have wrïtten on the topic of Canadian unity that it would not make sense to undertake yet cmother study that aims merely to tinker at the margins of paths aiready taken. We are now beyond the point of tinkenng. The terrain upon which we have been operating is far too worn. Moreover, another Quebec referendum appears Iikely and demands for Aboriginal self govemment will only grow Iouder. We have

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