The Veil, Alcohol and Accents. How “Diversity” is Challenged by Lived Experiences of Racism
In recent years, the Québec state has been pursuing a “migratory utilitarianism” that the rhetoric of diversity merely extends. The implication behind its laws and policies seems to be that the high qualifications of migrants will preserve them from discrimination and racism and allow them to contribute to the economic development of Québec. Based on research carried out with forty skilled Moroccan migrants settled in Québec or returned to Morocco, this article first exposes the indicators on which identity attributions and forms of racism are based in their everyday lives. I then show how migrants classify and prioritize their experiences of racism. In the conclusion I discuss racism as a dynamic and a continuous experience and question how the rhetoric of diversity ultimately contributes to maintaining latent racism.