Musa al-Gharbi, a sociologist from Stony Brook University and author of "We Have Never Been Woke," dives into the complexities of wokeness. He questions whether it genuinely uplifts marginalized groups or merely serves as a guise for elites to maintain the status quo. Musa shares his transformative journey from community college to Columbia University, highlighting the stark contrasts in educational environments. He explores the challenges faced by disadvantaged students in elite spaces and critiques how social justice discourse can sometimes reinforce existing inequalities.
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Elite Disruption
When people's elite aspirations are threatened, they criticize the social order.
They attempt to dismantle existing elites to create space for themselves.
question_answer ANECDOTE
Unconventional Path to Academia
Musa al-Gharbi had an unconventional path to Columbia University, starting at a community college.
A mentor at the community college fostered his intellectual curiosity.
insights INSIGHT
Symbolic Capital and Institutional Influence
Symbolic capital, resources elites use to normalize inequality, influenced al-Gharbi's work.
His move to Columbia University highlighted the impact of institutional affiliation.
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In this book, Musa al-Gharbi argues that despite the rise of a new elite who identify as allies of progressive causes such as antiracism, feminism, and LGBTQ rights, social and economic inequalities have continued to grow. These symbolic capitalists, who work primarily with words, ideas, images, and data, genuinely believe in egalitarian principles but inadvertently contribute to and perpetuate the very inequalities they oppose. The book examines how their actions and narratives often provoke backlash against the social justice causes they champion and argues that challenging these self-serving narratives is crucial for addressing social and economic inequality effectively.
Symbolic Capitalism
Symbolic Capitalism
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Pierre Bourdieu
Pierre Bourdieu's concept of symbolic capital refers to the non-economic resources that elites use to maintain their power and status. These resources include social networks, cultural knowledge, and prestigious credentials. Bourdieu argued that symbolic capital is crucial in reproducing social inequalities, as it allows elites to present their dominance as legitimate and natural. His work highlights how cultural practices and tastes are not neutral but rather reflect and reinforce power structures. Understanding symbolic capital is key to analyzing how social hierarchies are maintained and challenged.
We Have Never Been Modern
Bruno Latour
In 'We Have Never Been Modern,' Bruno Latour challenges the conventional understanding of modernity by arguing that the strict divisions between nature and society, science and culture, are constructs rather than realities. He contends that modernity is characterized by a dual process of 'purification' and 'hybridization,' where moderns attempt to separate nature from society but inevitably create hybrids that mix politics, science, technology, and nature. Latour suggests that these hybrids, such as environmental crises and technological advancements, reveal the limitations of modern thought and the need for a more integrated understanding of the world. The book advocates for rethinking the definition and constitution of modernity to better address contemporary challenges[1][2][5].
What purpose does “wokeness” really serve? Is it a way of thinking that helps lift up marginalized groups? Or is it a convenient way for elites to pay lip service to social justice while maintaining the status quo that benefits them? This week, I’m joined by sociologist Musa al-Gharbi to discuss his new book We Have Never Been Woke: The Cultural Contradictions Of A New Elite. In addition to distilling his ideas about wokeness as “cover for elites,” we talk about Musa’s love for French theorists, the value of his community college education, and the culture shock he experienced when arriving at Columbia University. We also explore whether women are overrepresented in elite workplaces and how this might affect perceptions of gender inequality and male dominance.
GUEST BIO
Musa al-Gharbi is a sociologist and assistant professor in the School of Communication and Journalism at Stony Brook University. His research primarily focuses on the political economy of knowledge production and the “social life” of scholarly and journalistic outputs. He is a columnist for The Guardian, and his writing has also appeared in the New York Times, the Washington Post, and The Atlantic, among other publications. al-Gharbi’s first book, We Have Never Been Woke: The Cultural Contradictions of a New Elite, was published by Princeton University Press in October 2024.
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