Dear IRR News subscriber,

In a week when the Prime Minister has been widely criticised for his dehumanising description of refugees living in squalid conditions in Calais as a ‘bunch of migrants’ and the stigmatisation of Muslim women, the IRR considers the dangers inherent in government policies which might curtail open debate. In a press release that accompanies the publication of an IRR paper on Prevent and the Children’s Rights Convention, the IRR calls for an open discussion about counter-radicalisation measures in schools, warning of the dangers that accrue when teachers become too fearful to voice concerns about possible harm, particularly to Muslim schoolchildren. This week, the IRR also publishes evidence on migration and asylum presented to the Council of Europe’s Human Rights Commissioner.

The January issue of Race & Class – ‘Reparative histories: radical narratives of “race” and resistance’ – is now available, featuring essays on the interactions of history, race, agency, memory and trauma. On 23 February, the IRR will be hosting a meeting to launch the issue with guest editors Cathy Bergin and Anita Rupprecht speaking, and Colin Prescod chairing. Booking details are here.

Our regular calendar of race, resistance and social justice highlights key events in the UK and Europe over the last fortnight. And we have also updated the statistics on our website, giving information on a broad range of issues including the criminal justice system, asylum and immigration, inequality and social policy, anti-terrorism powers, health and mental health, and racial violence.

Finally, we now have a full list of almost one hundred different rare and out of print publications that we are selling, published between 1958 and 1975. For details email info@irr.org.uk.

IRR News team