Chris Wheeler Media streamed live the UBC Dialogues: Vancouver – Is there diversity at UBC? See full write up on UBC Alumni Events Page
* From write up: Although one-third of UBC’s undergraduate students identify in some way as “Chinese,” the category is broad. It mixes Canadians of (whole or partial) Chinese-descent with international students from Shanghai, Taipei, Hong Kong, the USA, Russia and Brazil, among others. But does this cultural mix define our identity? Is “race” really a factor or a helpful category in talking about the modern university? Or are factors like socio-economic class, rural/urban, religious identity, or international or domestic more relevant on an international campus?
A recent Maclean’s article originally titled, “Too Asian?” provoked a storm of responses (some outraged, some humourous), but certainly hit a nerve. As a leading global university, what should UBC’s student body look like? How do concerns about Asian-looking students resonate in a multicultural society like Canada?