"You are not a racist, right?”

Welcome to the Migration Seminar!

Profile:

Anders Hellström, docent, Department of global political studies, Malmö University

Abstract:
Racism encompasses both individual-level derogatory remarks (micro) and systemic structural injustices (macro) that sustain and reinforce group differences based on perceived visible traits. However, if the term "racism" is used to describe everything, it ultimately loses its meaning. In this review article I examine uses of racism as a political activity. Theoretically, it explores how racism can be analyzed through three academic lenses: scientific racism, neo-racism, and institutional racism on the basis of their focus – individual and/or societal—and their width, ranging from narrow to broad.

Racism as a political activity
The article suggests possible means for studying racism as a political activity, from the perspectives of these frameworks, which in turn hints at their interconnectdeness across disciplines. Empirically, using examples from the Swedish context, the article demonstrates how analyzing racism as a political activity enables a critical examination of how racism manifests in practice differently, due to contrasting ideological positions. I suggest that the far-right political ideology can be further divided into categories of radicalism or extremism, and race revolutionarism, cultural nationalism, or identitarianism. The findings reveal that the concept of racism is defined differently and employed in diverse ways by different political actors, aligned with allegedly racist or anti-racist agendas.

Attendance:

This is a hybrid seminar, you are welcome to connect via Zoom or join us at MIM seminar room, floor 9, Niagara, Nordenskiöldsgatan 1. To attend on campus, please gather by the reception area at 13.05.
If you have any questions, send an email mim@mau.se

Zoom will be available closer to the seminar date.

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