Problematizing as Witch Hunting

Discussion

Lee Jussim:

"There is a certain, let’s call it sensibility, in modern left intellectual circles that includes the ability to “problematize” almost anything in order to, supposedly, reveal the depths of various forms of oppression (White supremacy, Euro-colonial hegemony, patriarchy, etc). It is certainly true that some practices can be identified that unambiguously reflected these (e.g., slavery, invading countries, prohibiting women from voting). But these are so obvious that they do not need to be “problematized.” One need not do any work to “reveal” slavery or conquest as oppressive.

The skill of “problematizing,” therefore, is really only necessary for things that, to the untrained naked eye, do not look like racism or oppression. But once one gets in the swing of things, you can problematize literally anything."

(https://unsafescience.substack.com/p/is-everything-problematic?)