Controversies in race relations: Theory and practice

Despite claims about value-neutrality, interventions are not undertaken in a vacuum. Interventions in minority communities are no exception. Various controversies in the field of race relations provide the context for interventions. These debates pertain to the rejection of assimilation, the rise of muiticulturalism, the acceptance of linguistic diversity, and the cultural critique provided by Afrocentrism. Practitioners who choose to ignore these issues will likely be perceived as irrelevant, or possibly harmful, by minority communities.