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ABSTRACT
While the idea that racism is accompanied by its denial is well established, this paper examines the widespread explicit advocacy of a stance of ‘not racism’. The rejection of racism by proponents of positions that hinder the cause of racial justice is the discursive next step in ‘postracial’ racism. I examine the various ways in which racism has been proposed to be an ‘unhelpful’ framework. I make the case that the dominant position within philosophy of race that racism is, first and foremost, a moral failing has unwittingly contributed to the emergence of ‘not racism’ as a dominant expression in race thinking today. Following an examination of several key moral philosophical analyses of racism, I illustrate my argument that ‘not racism’ is a form of racist violence with reference to several recent and contemporary cases against the backdrop of the rise of ‘Global Trumpism’.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.
Notes
1. https://twitter.com/kumailn/status/896459965832896512. Accessed 13 August 2017.
2. One is reminded here of Donald Trump’s invocation of ‘locker room talk’ when recordings of violently misogynistic statements he made emerged on the 2016 Presidential election campaign trail.
3. In defence of his participation in the white supremacist rally at Charlottesville, Peter Cvjetanovic, claimed, ‘I came to this march for the message that white European culture has a right to be here just like every other culture’ (Edwards Citation2017).
4. In the last few years, a number of articles have appeared in the British press calling for a reassessment of Honeyford’s views in the light of Muslim radicalization (Parkinson Citation2012; Jack Citation2014) echoing others which gave a similar treatment to the anti-immigrationism of conservative British politician, Enoch Powell (cf. Kundnani Citation2007).
5. Tweet by Lisa McKenzie @redrumlisa archived by the author on 17 September 2015.
6. Research by Black Activists Rising Against Cuts supports this http://blackactivistsrisingagainstcuts.blogspot.com.au. Accessed 3 August 2017.
Additional information
Notes on contributors
Alana Lentin
Alana Lentin is Associate Professor of Cultural and Social Analysis at Western Sydney University.