At a faculty forum called Cafeteria Style Multiculturalism: Individuals and Citizenship on Feb. 4, philosophy professor Mary Lenzi and humanities department chair Teresa Burns spoke about the meaning of multiculturalism.

Lenzi defined multiculturalism as “the respect, self-determination, toleration and equality owed to cultures.” Throughout the talk, she discussed society and whether it is “liberal to impose liberalism.”

“Without autonomy we cannot truly be liberal,” Lenzi said. She also said that cultures benefit one another through ideas in ways they could not if autonomy was disregarded.

“I thought [Lenzi] was lucid and thorough in laying out various liberal and post-liberal stances. If I understand [Lenzi] correctly, she did not take a stand,” associate philosophy professor Michael Sharkey said. He thought this was understandable in light of the complexity of the issue.

Lenzi also said that University of Wisconsin-Platteville has done an increasingly better job of supporting diversity through campus organizations over the past decades. She said she thinks it’s important that students take advantage of such programs to broaden their views of the world.

“It’s been getting better all the time,” Lenzi said in regards to campus multiculturalism.

Groups in the Platteville area who choose to differ from mainstream society, such as the Amish, have what Burns called “another type of privileged choice,” in that tolerance is not afforded to everyone. Lenzi and Burns both asked the question “If you’re tolerant, do you have to be tolerant of intolerance?”

“If I understand her right, I think [Burns] was taking a stance […] I think [Burn’s] position was there’s nothing illiberal about refusing to tolerate intolerance.” Sharkey said he thought it was a “promising line of response.”

During the question session, attendees asked Lenzi and Burns about the impact political correctness has on multiculturalism. In a discussion about the difference between respect and restrictions in speech, staff and students agreed that it is important to be respectful during the discussion of issues, while still addressing opinions.

Senior philosophy major Adam Triggs defined multiculturalism as “respect of different cultures everywhere.” Triggs said that multiculturalism is a “very strong force on our campus.”

In a later interview, Lenzi agreed with Triggs regarding multicultural affairs on campus. She said she has noticed a growth in diversity throughout the years she has taught here and said she thinks students care increasingly more about global relations. Lenzi said it is important for students to participate in events that promote an understanding of other cultures and try to see the world through many sets of eyes.

History department chair Nancy Turner will be speaking on Five Myths about the Scientific Revolutions at the next faculty forum, which will be held on Mar. 3, 2016.

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