hear hear.

Greece - Deep down I agree with ottovanbis, although I think the word itself is linked with negative meaning so I would like to avoid using it if I wanted to be polite.

Of course it's linked with negative meaning, it was meant as a derrogatory term when it was used most commonly. The idea of the quote would most likely have been to convey a sense of racial superiority, and it seems childish to me as a historian to baby step around a word that mature adults should understand in context.

USA -- It's fully appropriate as a historical quote in a classroom setting, assuming that the classroom is mature enough for explicative words.

However, it is highly offensive outside of an academic setting

Do you mean nigger or negro?

I think negro is just a bit archaic, and to say it now would be somewhat insulting, though not the end of the world.

Of course if you ever called anyone a nigger it would definitely be the end of the world. It's a racially charged word and that's just how it is. I wouldn't say it around anyone, much less someone black, however, as part of a quote, or when singing along to a rap, I wouldn't think twice. It's not me saying it.

But nigga... that's a whole 'nother topic. There is a good book by the name of "Nigger" that discusses a lot of this, including the way in which the black community has sort of co-opted the word.

Anyway it wouldn't shock me if I heard it, but I live in Texas and there are still more than a few racists around. Since I am white it's not completely unheard of for me to overhear white racist assholes saying it to each other, however I've never seen a non-black person say it TO a black person. That WOULD be shocking.

So yeah. But as a quote I think it's stupid to get offended by that... it's a quote. In fact most times I've run across that situation, my black teacher encourages the squeamish white student to just go ahead and say it.

Also, in the interest of equity, you'd think "cracker" would offend me as much as "nigger" offends a black person, however this isn't the case.

Or is it? I dunno.

Race relations are utterly fascinating.

it's funny and sad at the same time. in spanish "negro" is a word as good as any other color word. afro-hispano-amiracan people (from caribe or northern southamerica) doesn't necessarily get ofended when the word is spoken, (it's exactly as to mention the word "black" in english), some of they even use it as proud motive.
once my cousin (who seems a spaniard, though he's as mexican as me) was in u.s.a. and was calmly talking and joking in spanish about the "zapatos negros" he had bought some days before, and some black men in a near table got a very agressive atitude just cos they heared the word "negros" along with his loud laughs.
i really think it's an absurd

I meant nigger, not negro. As far as I know, negro isn't overly insulting, although I don't think I'd refer to someone as one.

That's interesting about your professor, although not surprising, as I suspect personal experience plays a lot into it.

As to "cracker," I don't think too many white's were lynched because of their skin, or taken away from their families to work as slaves, so I don't think they're really comparable terms.

USA- I am in highschool and the black guys call us racist names all the time and we don't care. but if one of us were to call them the n word then they would go all radical on us all. i'm just glad this is becomig nelss and less common though. there are plenty of nice black people at my school. AS far as using it historically i think they shouldn't get offended. not like it was the persons view who is reading the quote necessarily

they're both loaded with hatred and an image of inferiority and poverty

cracker and nigger that is, but i think we are beginning to reach a consensus among semi-highly educated peoples here that intent is important and that quotes are quotes

eaxactly otto

Negro has to some been equated to nigger in some circles, perhaps because they are simular sounding words. Many older blacks see no offense in the use of negro. So most likely a recent evolution. Than again the term black is now considered less than PC, prefering Afro-American.

To the original question, it is perfectly acceptable in the academic world to use the N-word in quotations, provided the quotation is relevant. The professor should know this and have prepared the class for this possibility during a discussion on the Civil War. And yes, I am from the USA.

I agree with the concenses. If it is a quote, you are not the one saying the word. The author of the quote is.

Also, it is not appropriate to say the quote if you're only interested in shocking/offending people.

What I do when reading something when this word comes up is to pause a second before continuing, and everyone usually understands why I did it.

That's just nuts.

It is a college level course about the Civil War and the professor (and some students) got offended about the contents of a QUOTE???? Now if the quote wasn't relevant to the discussion, then maybe, but I'm assuming it was relevant to the discussion at hand. (USA)

USA- I'm black and I don't believe that word is ever appropriate for anyone black, white, hispanic etc to say. That includes "nigga" it's still offensive. Now in a quote it's okay but not to say outside of that context

I'm in high school in the good ol USA, and I've had a few of my black friends call me a "nigga" from time to time. I'm a white guy, and while I've never understood the constant use of the word by the black kids I see and hear in school everyday, I've never called a black person a nigger, or negro, or nigga, or any other variation, but I can imagine it wouldn't go over well.

And yes it is absurd to get offended by a quote that was relevant to a discussion, its not your view, you're just referencing it.

this is the most unanimous decision on a thread i've ever seen, well done to all.

Agreed. Is everyone in agreement that "nigga" and "nigger" are offensive outside of a historically relavent quote in an academic setting?

In most cases yes, I agree, except for the one Thucy mentioned where black people refer to each other as nigga, in which case I don't think it has the same conotation, quite frankly it is a confusing topic, but I can't discuss this, now I'm pissed, goodnight for now.

i dont understand why we must use the word. if you really don't want to use it, you would avoid it at all cost.

think this way - do you like burning your figures? no! therefore you avoid burning your fingers at all cost (sitting away from stove, wear gloves, ect).
if you really, really don't like the N word and truly believe in that, then you would avoid using it very much the same as avoiding contact with fires.

the fact that people are prone to use the N word whenever the opportunity presents itself reflects racists attitude that is still prevalent in common people's mind, and this to me is detestable and most terrible.

If it was part of the quote, and in a HISTORY class... that's just the nature of it, and to skirt around it is actually to CHEAT history, I think...

I'm a Jew, but if I'm in a class and they're studying WWII, I would want them to read it in full... all the nasty slurs against Jews...

If they read a Nazi quote with "kike" in it, damnit, I WANT them to say it, and feel uncomfortable doing so... that's part of history, you SHOULD feel uncomfortable saying it and hearing it...

To not say the K word or N word in a quote in a class about it is denying part of the suffering of those people- and THAT'S the disrespectful action...

"the fact that people are prone to use the N word whenever the opportunity presents itself reflects racists attitude that is still prevalent in common people's mind, and this to me is detestable and most terrible."

What are you talking about? Which people are you talking about?

So we all can agree is contexts should be determining factor. How ever some people will always be offended.

Haha you know, I've personally always found it a tad-bit offensive when the media or some person refers to a group by pluralizing an adjective for them.

For instance: gays, blacks, browns, or even whites.

it's like... no... you say "black people" not "blacks"

lmao i don't if that's just me or what though

No your not modern media is there to sell add time only truth or reality be damned.

Some people consider the term "black" to be offensive and instead use the term "person of color". This could be an example of what is known as "the euphemism treadmill".