Dear Nick,

I think that 'balancing out of racisms' argument is rather weak. Both forms
of racism you described involve power and prejudice. In class, I talk about
racism as 'an ideology of oppression'. Without losing sight of structural
and major problems that various groups experience, I think it is dangerous
to refer to a particular race as the sole perpetrator or another the victim
of racism. Compound effects of racism with class segregation, sexism, ageism
and homophobia also make it more complicated beyond the 'black and white'
issue. I find Sir William Macpherson of Cluny's report on the police force a
very useful material to study and demonstrate the severity of the problem in
the UK.

Best regards,

Mustafa



____________________________

Dr. Mustafa Ozbilgin
Senior Lecturer in Human Resources, Strategy and Marketing
University of Hertfordshire Business School
Mangrove Road, Hertford Campus,
Hertford, SG13 8QF, HERTS, UK
Telephone:0044 1707 285446
Fax: 0044 1707 285455
Email: [log in to unmask]
Mobile: 07967 105959
____________________________



----- Original Message -----
From: "Nick Givens" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Friday, January 26, 2001 5:34 PM
Subject: any answers?


> Hi,
> I gave a lecture on 'tackling racism' to a couple of hundred PGCE students
> today.
>
> Several were keen to emphasize that Black and minority ethnic people can
> display racism towards white people; they did not accept that this does
not
> simply balance out white racism.
>
> I would welcome suggestions on how to address this. I certainly don't want
> to defend harassment, aggression or bulying whoever the source; neither do
> I want to deny the fear or pain experienced by white surviors of violence
> committed by Black people.
>
> nevertheless, it seems to me that
> 'white racism' = prejudice + power, while
> 'black racism' = prejudice
>
> and the Power makes a lot of difference!
>
> I fear that this was lost on a portion of my audience, who were a bit keen
> to say that racism is an entirely two way issue.
>
> Any ideas?
>
> Nick.
>
> Lecturer in Education,
> School of Education,
> University of Exeter,
> Heavitree Road,
> Exeter,
> EX1 2LU,
> England.
> tel     (44) 1392 264869
> fax     (44) 1392 264960
>