Fights about Language and Political Correctness: What’s At Stake?

Debates abound about pronouns on class rosters, the name of the Washington Redskins, the reclamation of the word “queer,” trigger warnings, the connotations of “lady” versus “woman,” the choice of “black” or “Black” or “African American,” and telling someone to “check their privilege,” just to name a few.

Who has the right to tell others how they should and shouldn’t use language—and when? Do “superficial” changes in the language we use really matter? What’s at stake in debates about language?

Efforts to render language more respectful and inclusive of all persons are sometimes perceived as policing other people’s language, and “politically correct” is no longer a neutral term (if it ever really was). In this workshop, Professor Anne Curzan and Professor Robin Queen discuss the merits and the criticisms of “politically correct” language, drawing from specific cases that have received national attention as well as significant attention on the University of Michigan campus.