🌍Gender and Global Politics Unit 5 – Race & Ethnicity in Global Politics

Key Concepts and Definitions

• Race socially constructed category based on perceived physical differences and used to classify individuals into distinct groups
• Ethnicity refers to shared cultural heritage, language, traditions, and ancestry within a group
• Racism prejudice, discrimination, or antagonism directed against a person or people on the basis of their racial or ethnic group membership
  • Includes individual attitudes and behaviors as well as systemic and institutional practices
• Colorism discrimination based on skin color, often favoring lighter skin tones over darker ones
• White supremacy belief that white people are superior to those of other races and should dominate them
• Anti-racism active opposition to racism and the promotion of racial equality
• Racial capitalism economic system that exploits and devalues non-white individuals for the benefit of white people

Historical Context of Race in Global Politics

• Race as a concept emerged during European colonialism and the transatlantic slave trade
• Scientific racism pseudoscientific theories used to justify racial hierarchies and white supremacy (eugenics, phrenology)
• Slavery and colonialism established global power dynamics based on race
  • European powers exploited labor and resources of colonized peoples in Africa, Asia, and the Americas
• Decolonization movements in the 20th century challenged colonial rule and asserted the rights of colonized peoples
• Cold War tensions and proxy wars often intersected with racial politics (Vietnam War, African independence movements)
• Legacy of historical racial inequalities persists in contemporary global politics and economic structures

Intersectionality: Race, Gender, and Power

• Intersectionality framework that examines how multiple social identities (race, gender, class) interact to shape individuals' experiences and opportunities
• Women of color often face compounded discrimination and marginalization based on both race and gender
  • Higher rates of poverty, limited access to education and healthcare, and increased vulnerability to violence
• Gendered racism unique forms of discrimination and stereotyping faced by women of color (exoticization, hypersexualization)
• Intersectional approach essential for understanding and addressing the complex ways in which power and oppression operate in global politics
• Feminist movements have historically prioritized the experiences of white women, leading to the marginalization of women of color
• Transnational feminist solidarity requires acknowledging and addressing the diverse experiences of women across racial and cultural contexts

Colonialism and Its Lasting Impact

• European colonialism (16th-20th centuries) established global power structures based on racial hierarchies
• Colonial policies of exploitation, forced labor, and resource extraction devastated colonized societies and economies
• Colonizers imposed European languages, religions, and cultural practices on colonized peoples (cultural imperialism)
• Arbitrary colonial borders divided ethnic groups and created lasting political instability in many regions (Partition of India, Scramble for Africa)
• Decolonization movements (1940s-1970s) led to the independence of many former colonies but did not fully dismantle colonial power structures
• Neocolonialism refers to the continued economic and political influence of former colonial powers over newly independent nations
• Legacy of colonialism evident in global economic inequalities, political instability, and cultural tensions

Contemporary Racial Issues in International Relations

• Racial discrimination and xenophobia continue to shape immigration policies and the treatment of migrants and refugees
• War on Terror and rise of Islamophobia in the post-9/11 era
  • Racial profiling and surveillance of Muslim communities
  • Anti-Muslim rhetoric in political discourse and media
• Police brutality and racial profiling disproportionately impact communities of color worldwide (Black Lives Matter movement)
• Environmental racism refers to the disproportionate exposure of communities of color to pollution, toxic waste, and other environmental hazards
• Underrepresentation of people of color in international organizations and decision-making bodies
• Rise of far-right nationalism and white supremacist movements poses a threat to racial equality and global stability

Race and Global Economic Structures

• Global economic inequalities often follow racial lines, with formerly colonized nations experiencing higher rates of poverty and underdevelopment
• Extractive industries (mining, oil) often exploit the labor and resources of communities of color while profits benefit primarily white-owned corporations
• International financial institutions (World Bank, IMF) have been criticized for imposing economic policies that disproportionately harm developing nations
• Trade agreements and globalization can exacerbate racial inequalities by displacing local industries and concentrating wealth in the hands of multinational corporations
• Racial wealth gap within nations reflects historical and ongoing discrimination in access to education, employment, and financial resources
• Reparations movements call for compensation to communities impacted by slavery, colonialism, and other forms of racial exploitation

Representation and Diversity in Global Governance

• People of color underrepresented in leadership positions within international organizations (UN, World Bank)
• Lack of diversity in diplomatic corps and foreign policy decision-making bodies
• Eurocentrism dominates international relations theory and practice, marginalizing non-Western perspectives
• Efforts to increase diversity and inclusion in global governance (UN Sustainable Development Goals, gender mainstreaming)
• Importance of amplifying voices and experiences of marginalized communities in international forums and negotiations
• Decolonizing international relations involves challenging dominant Western narratives and centering the knowledge and agency of colonized peoples

Racial Justice Movements and Global Solidarity

• Anti-colonial and anti-apartheid movements (Indian independence movement, South African anti-apartheid struggle) built transnational solidarity against racial oppression
• Civil rights movement in the United States inspired and connected with anti-racist struggles worldwide
• Black Lives Matter movement has sparked global conversations and protests against anti-Black racism and police brutality
• Indigenous rights movements advocate for the self-determination and land rights of Indigenous peoples worldwide
• Afro-descendant movements in Latin America and the Caribbean challenge the legacy of slavery and racial discrimination
• Solidarity among communities of color is crucial for collective resistance against global systems of oppression
• Transnational networks and alliances enable the sharing of strategies, resources, and support for racial justice struggles across borders