Signs of Struggle

Book excerpt: Synthesizing rhetorical and cultural theory, Signs of Struggle generates innovative approaches to current critical theories of difference, culture, gender, and race, sheds new light on multicultural issues, and suggests productive avenues for further exploration. Through a critical examination of the more cherished ideals of liberalism—governance through negotiated consensus, tolerance, and civility—West calls for the expansion of the ground rules for risky interaction that involves attention to the "emotional politics" of cultural difference. In an engaging and pointedly straightforward style, West encourages a more productive engagement with difference, rather than an approach that merely celebrates diversity.