Dr Meghan Tinsley, a Presidential Fellow in Ethnicity and Inequalities, reflects on the four years of the First World War centenary, asking to what extent collective memory of the war remains white and Eurocentric. She argues that in pursuit of a more global narrative of past and present, history curricula should emphasise three themes: the […]
Is the Immigration Act 2016 a racist policy against BME citizens in the housing market?
Dr William Shankley, a research associate at the Centre of Dynamics of Ethnicity (CoDE), examines the impacts of the Immigration Act 2016 on black and minority ethnic (BME) citizens within the housing market and asks if it is a measure to further the government’s hostile environment. There is a long history of BME households facing […]
Can British universities be sites for reparative justice?
This October is Black History Month, and despite some local councils’ attempts to dilute and replace it with ‘diversity’ agendas, the ongoing Windrush scandal has served as a stark reminder of some of the continued misunderstandings about Black history in Britain. Dr Karis Campion discusses the responsibility universities have in creating honest conversations on their […]
Lost in translation? Rap music and racial bias in the courtroom
This year has seen heightened controversy over the relationship between rap music and youth violence in urban areas, especially London. ‘Drill’ – a type of gangsta rap known for striking a pose of menace and alienation, set to sparse yet catchy minor-keyed beats – has replaced ‘grime’ as the main focus for concern and condemnation. […]
Racism at work still persists; time for urgent action
It is almost 50 years since the Race Relations Act was amended to outlaw racial discrimination in employment. Drawing on their new report Stephen Ashe and James Nazroo argue that the evidence strongly demonstrates that there remains a need for employers and the Government to take urgent action against the entrenched nature of racism and […]
Busting the male migrant myth – why the facts need to speak for themselves
Men, mainly young and single, make up the majority of migrants coming into Europe in the recent crisis. But the negative portrayal of young migrant men in popular debates does not tally with the picture that emerges when you interview them, says researcher Jon Spencer. Stereotypes Failing in education, demonstrating inappropriate sexual behaviour and having a […]
Inequality in the criminal justice system
Ethnic minorities are heavily over-represented at all stages of the criminal justice system. We have to look at the wider structure of inequality to understand why, argues Stephanie Wallace. Two dominant explanations generally account for the over representation of ethnic minority groups in the criminal justice system; ethnic minorities commit more crime and institutionalised racism. […]
Unpicking the hierarchy of prejudice
Chelsea fans’ actions in Paris received media and political condemnation. James Rhodes considers why a report revealing racialised inequalities in UK universities did not. On 17 February, a group of Chelsea football fans travelling on the Paris Metro to a Champions League match against Paris Saint-Germain were filmed chanting “we’re racist, we’re racist, and that’s […]
Two Things We Need to Say About Race That Are True
Social inequalities and racial discrimination powerfully impact on the lives of Britain’s ethnic minorities. These are the two issues that have to be central to any political conversation about race in today’s society. Described by The Times as “among the most important documentaries of the decade” Channel 4’s Things We Won’t Say About Race That […]
How racism harms health
Lifetime experiences of racism damage the health of ethnic minorities from before birth until death, writes Dr Laia Bécares. Racism is toxic for health. This can be taken literally, proven by a vast environmental justice literature that shows how some ethnic minorities are more likely than the white majority population to live within close […]