On the Margins of the Margins: #CommunicationSoWhite—Canadian Style

Canada is defined by its commitment to multicultural diversity, tolerance and liberalism that belie the dominant whiteness of our institutions, including academia. Canadian Communication Studies, despite its history of attending to the power dynamics of the center and the margins, is no exception to this rule. Studies of racism and colonialism are confined to the corners of the discipline, reflecting the lack of representation in communication departments, the canon, and in the field’s flagship journal. This sharply contrasts the prevalence of contemporary issues concerning race, religion, nationalism, nationwide Indigenous movements and anti-racist campaigns, as well as mobilizations against police violence, Islamophobia, and pipelines. Colonialism, race and racialization are central to the framing of these issues and demand urgent attention.