(Die Fallstricke des liberalen Antirassismus)
by Prof. Rupa Viswanath
In scholarly circles as well as in many democratic political formations, there is a consensus that social progress requires an end to racism. But are all anti-racisms the same? What are the underlying assumptions about what counts as diversity? How do mainstream political actors talk about diversity and race—on corporate boards, in political parties and in universities—and what might the pitfalls of these approaches be? Is there truth to the stereotype that class-based politics means ignoring race and other ascriptive differences? This talk will raise and try to answer these questions, while bearing in mind that we are also living through a time when right wing forces politicize and weaponize open discussions of race and gender.
Prof. Rupa Viswanath is a historian at the Centre for Modern Indian Studies whose research examines the political economy of caste-based labour and slavery, minority politics and democratic representation under capitalism, and agrarian change and welfare in developmental states.