Peniel Joseph, founding director of the Center for the Study of Race and Democracy, professor of history and public affairs at the University of Texas-Austin and the author of Stokely: A Life (Civitas Books, 2016), explains why he thinks France's World Cup win is a victory for Africa and immigrants everywhere.
These players are both French and African - to say it's a victory for immigrants doesn't lessen that fact, says @PenielJoseph.
— Brian Lehrer Show (@BrianLehrer) July 24, 2018
@PenielJoseph asks can you be French if you're from Cameroon? If you're from Haiti? The answer he says, of course, is yes, but French society has been slow to accept that -- except when you have exceptional immigrants -- like these players -- who they treat as heroes.
— Brian Lehrer Show (@BrianLehrer) July 24, 2018
@PenielJoseph says this conversation about sports, citizenship, identity + soccer brings up the questions of the 21st century--do we feel people deserve citizenship? And do we want to shut the doors of opportunity behind us once we and our children and families have citizenship?
— Brian Lehrer Show (@BrianLehrer) July 24, 2018