Back in the day, it seemed like folks could disagree on a lot of things, but still find ways to coexist. People didn’t always insist on their relationships being contingent upon harmonious politics or beliefs. Things have changed. In today’s polarized society, it can feel nearly impossible to find common ground with folks who don’t share our views on big issues, especially when those folks are the people closest to us. For many families, political beliefs, racism, gender discrimination, and other hot button topics can cause personal rifts that can tear a family apart. In this episode, we discuss how to have healthy disagreements with family members when diverging views on big issues make basic conversations extremely difficult.
In our eleventh episode we discuss the issue of representation in media and culture. The case in point for our conversation is the Danish dubbing of the Disney Pixar film Soul, released in 2020. The main character in Soul is Joe Gardner, a black jazz musician and music teacher from Brooklyn, NY. As is the standard for animated films from Disney, the film has been dubbed in several other languages. While the original version of Soul stars Jamie Foxx in the lead role, in Denmark, the voice actor cast as Joe Gardner for the Danish dubbing is Nikolaj Lie Kaas, one of the most well known Danish actors of his generation. Kaas is also white.
There has been some controversy regarding the casting of Lie Kaas to voice the role of a Black character, and rightfully so. As we discuss on this episode of Dialectic Peoples, representation matters. Why should the first black main character of a Pixar film be voiced by a white actor? Why not give the opportunity to represent a black voice to a black actor, regardless of language? Are performers of color in Denmark or elsewhere in Europe simply not good enough? Not famous enough? Not available?
The question of their prestige or familiarity with audiences is not a matter talent or skill, but rather of opportunity.
While one unfamiliar with Denmark might think that it’s a question of availability, the assumption that there aren’t any qualified actors of color to voice the roles of characters of color in European languages is flatly wrong. Denmark, as well as other nations in the EU have plenty of talented performers of color. The question of their prestige or familiarity with audiences is not a matter talent or skill, but rather of opportunity. The casting agencies responsible for putting white actors to work dubbing the voices of black characters could have offered an opportunity to an actor of color – there were plenty available, if the not proven by the diversity (although minimal) in the casting of minor roles for the Danish dubbing of the film. Dialectic Peoples very own Kuku Agami and his older brother Al Agami both played minor roles in the Danish dub.
Ultimately, while Kaas did give a capable performance, his casting in the role of a Black character is evidence of a lack of representation in the entertainment industry in Denmark. In such a rare instance, where a black character is front and center in an animated feature film from none other than Disney, the chance for an actor of color to have a leading role could have been a star-making performance. Unfortunately that opportunity was missed. However, there is an opportunity to at least open the conversation about representation in the Danish context, and we are not letting it go to waste.
Listen to Episode 11: Represent, Represent! to hear the full discussion. Stick around for our second Q&A session, where we also discuss questions from our audience on the topic.
Dialectic Peoples is available on all major podcast platforms. Listen here.
And we’re back. Episode 2: Statues is now available for download or streaming here on our website or on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, or Spotify.
We want to send a special shout out to Copenhagen beatmaker Boef1 who has so graciously and generously infused our podcast with some really dope beats. Check out his music on Bandcamp!
In the wake of the George Floyd’s unjust and tragic killing at the hands of police, a wave of civil unrest, nay, rebellion against racism has erupted across the United States and the rest of the world. We are experiencing a moment of paradigmatic revolution, both in the consciousness of our culture and in the physical spaces we share. Statues – the tangible monuments to figures of historical significance (or notoriety, if not outright infamy) – have adorned the public squares of cities all across the world. Statues celebrate the purported history, if not the mythology of figures whose impact has been deemed worthy of remembrance.
However, when historical figures have risen to fame or power in the context of systemic racism, when they are guilty of high crimes and treachery and malevolence against other human beings, we ought to think critically about how their stories are presented in public fora, and whether such statues that pay them tribute ought to exist at all.
Our second episode is an honest discussion of the topic of statues. Where the discourse has been largely uncritical until recent months, we at Dialectic Peoples are ready to elevate the debate.
Let’s get in to it.
Links for Episode 2: Statues
Dansk
Artikel De Conincks vej i Sjællandske Nyheder, heri også link til radioprogram:
We do not actively collect your personal data, however our website like all websites needs to use cookies. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
