Higher Learning: Supporting A Multicultural Society
One of the initial scenes of the 1995 film Higher Learning, set at fictional Columbus
University, highlights social groups mingling in separate parts of the campus lawn: the white
upper class students in one area, followed by Asian students, Mexicans, and African Americans.
These distinct groupings reflect the increasing social recognition of various subcultures in the
1990s, including those relating to race, cultural background, and sexual orientation, along with
the eroding notion of a single, common American identity (Becker, 26). The film follows three
students as they grapple with their identities: Kristen, a sheltered freshman from Orange County,
Malik, a talented track runner, and Remy, an introvert who becomes involved with a local neoNazi group. Higher Learning may be interpreted as simply a representation of an increasingly
multicultural American society in the 1990s, as well as the tensions that arose from previously
marginalized groups gaining social visibility. However, the film ultimately encourages this
societal shift toward multiculturalism and challenges heterosexual white male privilege.
Kristen’s character contributes to the film’s commentary by illustrating the ways in which
many people in the 1990s explored their sexual and gender identities as a means of social
participation. As public acceptance of homosexuality expanded and the lines separating gay from
straight blurred, delving into sexual identity (and social identity) simultaneously became more
significant (Becker, 24). Kristen’s personal journey begins after a fraternity member rapes her at
a party, and she decides not to report the incident for fear of others believing she was at fault.
Considering the context of the Anita Hill and Clarence Thomas controversy, in which senators
questioned Hill’s credibility and personal integrity during her testimony, Kristen’s choice to
remain silent seems reasonable (Vavrus, 38). Her decision reinforces male social privilege by
1 suggesting that female victims of sexual harassment are helpless against their male perpetrators;
nevertheless, Kristen ultimately empowers herself by exploring her femininity and sexuality.
Kristen pursues intimate relationships with both a male and a female student, joins a women’s
organization called “Students for a Non-Sexist Society,” organizes a festival to celebrate campus
diversity, and speaks about her rape at a rally about sexual consent. Engaging with these aspects
of her character provides her a means to participate on campus and cultivate a sense of social
belonging. Her participation in campus life in this manner reflects a larger trend: “locating
oneself by one’s affiliation with a racial, gender, sexual, geographic…subculture seemed a
prerequisite for social recognition” (Becker, 25). By depicting Kristen’s self-empowerment and
newfound confidence as a result of her exploration of her sexual and gender identities, the film
positively emphasizes the feminist and LGBT subcultures that were emerging as America shifted
toward a multicultural society. Furthermore, Kristen’s courage to speak publically about her
assault challenges the male social dominance she once feared and promotes the idea that people
can and should make their voices heard on a larger scale.
Malik’s portrayal strengthens the film’s support of a multicultural society by the way in
which he confronts some of the interpersonal and institutional inequalities many African
American citizens endured at the time. The film, which came out after the acquittals in the
Rodney King trial, depicts white campus police officers bullying Malik and his friends. The
officers consistently exhibit racist behavior; for example, they only shut down African American
house parties and are physically violent with Malik. He also faces smaller doses of racism, such
as when Kristen glances at him in the elevator and noticeably clutches her purse tighter. Malik
articulates his perspective regarding race in a final academic essay, asserting: “the credo liberty
and justice for all is a falsehood that needs to be addressed.” By depicting Malik’s specific,
2 personal experiences with police brutality and racism in his daily life, his opinions about racial
inequalities may be considered a form of “black knowledge” (Sieving, 335). More specifically,
his ideas stem from lived experience with police cruelty and ordeals that are unique to his
position as an African American student during a period of cultural transitioning. Malik’s “black
knowledge” questions white male social privilege by highlighting the systemic inequalities in a
society historically governed by white men. His essay demonstrates the importance of
considering different perspectives in order to challenge racial discrimination at a time when
racial tensions were arriving at the societal forefront. Thus, Malik’s portrayal furthers the film’s
social commentary by addressing and confronting inherent social injustices.
Remy’s character uniquely contributes to the film’s overall message through the way in
which he demonstrates resistance during this time of cultural shifts. Lost at school, Remy does
not fit in with any social groups and finds affiliation with local neo-Nazis. He illustrates an
extreme version of a larger social persona at the time, known as the “angry white male,” in which
some men felt that women, minorities, and particularly people of color were gaining social and
economic benefits at their expense (Rehling, 25). However, job insecurity and a downsizing
economy were actually behind white male misfortune (Rehling, 25). Along with his extreme
racial slurs, Remy exhibits this resentment when he struggles on an exam and becomes agitated
after seeing students of other races succeeding around him. Remy’s association with the neoNazis, consistent defensiveness about “his country,” and his extreme hatred for African
Americans illustrates (to an extreme extent) the anxieties some white men felt as a result of “the
gains won by feminism, gay activism, and the civil rights movement—all of which challenged
straight white men’s assumptions of privilege” (Rehling, 25). The film casts Remy in a highly
unfavorable view: he makes inappropriate comments at a party, calls the police on his African
3 American roommate, and kills Malik’s girlfriend and other students in a calculated decision to
kill an African American person. When Remy commits suicide, the viewer sees the other neoNazis smirking while watching the news on TV and yelling, “white power!” This disturbing
scene ultimately frames this crew as maniacal bigots. By portraying Remy’s refusal to accept a
multicultural society in a negative light, his character further indicates the film’s social
commentary. Remy’s portrayal also undermines white male social privilege because, as one of
the only characters that blatantly supports the traditional system, he seems to be at odds with
everyone except his racist gang. Although viewers may discount Remy as a radical or pity him
because he found this group after social rejection, his actions nevertheless pit his character as the
antagonist and suggest the immorality of his beliefs.
The film’s closing scene solidifies its message: an American flag is the final onscreen
image, and the word “unlearn” in bold red letters appears as the image of the flag fades. Perhaps
this final word suggests that Americans should “unlearn” the belief that white men are the sole
beneficiaries of social privilege and control, or “unlearn” the intolerant attitudes that have
previously marginalized cultural groups, and instead welcome various perspectives in the public
sphere. Thus, the flag imagery, along with the word unlearn, culminates the film’s promotion of
a multicultural society. By encouraging people to welcome the reality of a diverse society, the
film could have exacerbated social anxieties about a fragmenting American culture, particularly
for those who began to question how their whiteness influenced their own social privilege
(Becker, 29). The film also provides evidence that many voices need to be heard for American
society to progress. Thus, rather than reinforcing the status quo, Higher Learning directly
addresses the tensions arising from an increasingly multicultural society and emphasizes the
benefits of this cultural transition.
4 References
Becker, Gay TV & Straight America excerpts
Rehling, “Losing Ground” excerpt, Extraordinary Men
Sieving, “Cop Out?” Journal of Communication Inquiry
Vavrus, “Anita Hill, Clarence Thomas, and the Crisis of White Patriarchal Authority,”
Postfeminist News
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