Canadian Race Relations Foundation

In this book the author looks at accepted policies of 'multiculturalism' in both theory and in practice. In doing so, Razack suggests that these policies are informed by a Eurocentric perception of dominance and superiority which is echoed and institutionalized in the forms of courts, education and government policies. In order to counter this oppression disguised as liberalism, it is necessary to have a theoretical, and contextualized, understanding of the concepts of race and colonialism. Several main topic areas which are addressed in this study are 1) the idea of international human rights, vs. the concept of cultural relativism, 2) how the process and outcome of legal cases are informed by conceptions of race, and 3) what Razack defines as the 'politics of rescue', which is the phenomenon by which those claiming to help oppressed groups, perpetuate oppression by speaking for the oppressed groups.

In the Canadian context, the imperialist as saviour of Third World Peoples is an important construct in nation- building. Canadians define themselves as unimplicated in the genocide of Native peoples or the enslavement of African peoples, a position of innocence that is especially appealing because it enables Canadians to imagine themselves as distinct from Americans. (p.89)

Accountability begins with tracing relations of privilege and penalty. It can not proceed unless we examine our complicity. (p.170)