I agree with Mark (below) on this one. At ISCRI, we use the following to explain:
"We are very conscious that various terms are used to refer to the many diverse communities in the UK. We use ‘Black and minority ethnic communities/populations.’ This reflects that our concern is not only with those for whom 'Black' is a political term, denoting those who identify around a basis of skin colour distinction or who may face discrimination because of this or their culture: 'Black and minority ethnic' also acknowledges the diversity that exists within these communities, and includes a wider range of those who may not consider their identity to be ‘Black,’ but who nevertheless constitute a distinct ethnic group, such as White Irish people."
This goes down like a ton of bricks in Europe, though, where the 'and' in 'Black and minority ethnic' is taken to mean that 'Black' people are not 'minority ethnic' people.
Throughout Europe, the term most often used is 'migrants' which I think is totally inadequate and just plain wrong, but I fear I am fighting a losing battle!
I too have had problems with journals who decapitalise my 'Black' even when I add the paragraph above explaining it.
My main concern as a researcher, however, whatever people choose to call themselves, with a capital or not, is that data are collected and presented at least according to the 2001 census (or is it Census?) categories. Many publications (including government ones) present data on ethnicity collapsed into the categories of 'Black, White, Asian, Mixed, Chinese and other', which is useless for most purposes.
Jane
From: Health of minority ethnic communities in the UK [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of M & M Johnson
Sent: 26 October 2009 17:10
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Black - capital B or not
Guardian style book reduces nearly all Capitals except proper names to lower case
In my experience (i.e. 'according to Johnson')
Black vs black is like Deaf versus deaf: Politically defined as an identity or used as an adjective (roughly speaking) i.e., the Deaf community use D to indicate an identity and political message, others use as an adjective indicating loss of auditory ability.
similarly with Black used as an inclusive term and/or shorthand for BME or BAME (and there's some room there for manoeuvre on what the A stands for - asylum seekers, asian and And.)
you choose....
Mark R D Johnson
Moderator, Minority-Ethnic-Health Discussion List
www.jiscmail.ac.uk/minority-ethnic-health
Others - please comment - this could be an interesting discussion!