Belonging

September 28, 2015
Clarkson (Heart Matters), former governor general of Canada, traces the history of citizenship from ancient Greece to modern Canada in this transcript of her 2014 CBC Massey Lecture. For Clarkson, society is more than just a group of individuals; it is shaped by people's desire to belong. Her analysis stresses the interdependence among people, who are at their most human when they commit to their community. One of her key messages is acceptance: people need to acknowledge that there are other citizens with backgrounds different than their own, and these differences need to be included in citizenship. The great strength of Clarkson's work is the range of examples that she cites. Her discussion includes a tribe in Uganda, Icelandic chieftains, black loyalists in Nova Scotia, and many other groups. One weakness of the book is Clarkson's tendency to idealize Canadian multiculturalism, which is not always as welcoming of immigrants as she claims. Despite these occasional flaws, Clarkson presents an engaging account of the human desire to belong; her work stretches across time and countries and will inspire further debate and discussion. Agent: Michael Levine, Westwood Creative Artists.