The 2020 International Conference: Mediating, Constructing, Dismantling Race(ism) is centred around the notion of 'Race' and its different cogent variations - 'racism', 'racialisation', 'racialised' - but brings race into conversation with global capitalism, transnational political processes, historical and contemporary social change and technological mediation.
Institutional and structural racism are major realities that impede different areas of social life, both domestically and internationally. Over the past decade, mass protests in West Asia, North Africa, South America, and other parts of the world created an important transformative momentum, which in turn triggered debates about race, cultural difference and the role of anti-racism in grassroots politics against authoritarianism.
The (not so) new issues activists are facing include migration, modern forms of slavery, backlash against indigenous assertion, the plight of south-Asian and African (domestic, construction) workers, the trafficking of female migrants across Europe, colourism and the mainstreaming of Far Right politics speaking against liberal multiculturalism in the defence of the imagined majority.
The 2020 International Conference: Mediating, Constructing, Dismantling Race(ism) is centred around the notion of 'Race' and its different cogent variations - 'racism', 'racialisation', 'racialised' - but brings race into conversation with global capitalism, transnational political processes, historical and contemporary social change and technological mediation.
This event is an initiative of the Communication and Media Research Institute's newly established Global Media Research Network (GMRN) and the Centre for the Study of Democracy at the University of Westminster.
The full-day conference on the 17th of April 2020 provides a space to debate these questions; to understand the often-contentious relationship between theory and practice across disciplines; and to bring the work of activists and academics closer together.
This event is part of the underlying aspiration to encourage critical collaboration between scholars and activists.
We have programmed two internationally renowned keynotes to shed broader light through theoretical and practical areas of investigation. Our speakers are detailed below.
Speakers
Keynote speakers
- Professor Ghassan Hage, University of Melbourne, Australia
- Professor Dibyesh Anand, University of Westminster, UK
Academic-activist Keynote Speakers
- Lucia Kula, Black Student Support Coordinator, SOAS
- Akram Salhab, organiser at Migrants Organise
- Chardine Taylor-Stone, Cultural Producer and Writer
Programme, registration and fees
This one-day conference on Friday 17th of April 2020, will consist of 2 academic keynote presentations, four parallel panel sessions and 3 academic-activist keynote presentations. *The fee for registration for all participants, including presenters, will be £45, with a concessionary rate of £15 for students and unwaged, to cover all conference documentation, refreshments and administration costs.
Conference Organisation Committee and Advisory Board
International Conference Organised by: Communication and Media Research Institute & The Centre for the Study of Democracy at the University of Westminster, UK.
- Miriyam Aouragh
- Christian Fuchs
- Deborah Husbands
- Geetanjali Kala
- Ben Pitcher
- Pablo Morales
- Tarik Sabry
- Doug Specht
- Roza Tsagarousianou
