Globalisation, we are told by the likes of Tony Blair, is, in the final analysis, a good thing. But good for whom? For the West or for the Third World? For rich or for poor? For black or for white? Here, in the UK, counter-globalisation networks are publicising the facts that European politicians like Blair
News Service
The Stephen Lawrence Inquiry
The public inquiry into the official handling of the 1993 murder of Stephen Lawrence opened in March. Police were accused of incompetence, insensitivity and racism in their response to the stabbing and to Stephen’s parents and the survivor of the attack, Duwayne Brooks. Below is a summary of the main points to emerge by the
Racism Goes Global
In May, the World Development Movement (WDM) launched ‘People Before Profits’, a campaign designed to expose multinationals’ abuse of human rights, workers’ rights and the environment. The activities of five multinational companies Nestlé’s, Rio Tinto, Shell, P&O and Premier Oil were highlighted through a week of direct action at the companies’ respective AGMs. ‘The idea
Behind Glasgow’s Gangs
The details of Imran’s fatal stabbing are now sub judice as several youths have been arrested. But his family are now considering action against the hospital after a post-mortem revealed that he died of septicaemia, not of his stab wounds. The police too, are the subject of complaints that they did not carry out forensic
Are anti-racist football campaigns reaching the grassroots?
Anti-racism has now, partly because of high-profile efforts from the CRE and its chairman Sir Herman Ouseley, made its way into football. This year’s Kick It Out campaign, backed by Blair and Hoddle, was launched in January with the Home Secretary visiting Birmingham City Football Club, and Tony Banks was guest speaker at a conference
Robbery isn’t colour-blind
Muhammed Rafique Khan was knifed through the heart on 6 January outside his menswear shop in Plumstead High Street, south-east London. It was 10 minutes till closing when a 30-year-old white man ran into the shop. What happened inside is not exactly known. But witnesses at a nearby bus stop heard an altercation and saw
Interactive anti-racism
The first anti-racist interactive CD-ROM has just been created by the Institute of Race Relations. HomeBeats: struggles for racial justice is aimed at young people for use at home, school or youth centres. Focusing on the black presence in Britain and British struggles against racism, the CD connects slavery and colonialism to contemporary racism and,
Getting through? New approaches to tackling youth racism
At the front line of new initiatives are youth workers. The voluntary relationship between youth worker and ‘client’ (as opposed to the official relationship between teacher and pupil) provides a unique environment for tackling racism. An informal and more personal relationship can develop, giving the youth worker room for manoeuvre denied to the teacher. On
Prisoner left hanging
The vexed question of the privatisation of the British prison service has again come to the fore following the death of Peter Austin at Brentford magistrates’ court on 29 January. Disturbing evidence emerged at the inquest held in July, where the verdict was accidental death aggravated by lack of care by the guards. Securicor staff
Two Cultures of English Cricket
While football and rugby league authorities have at least paid lip service to the cause of anti-racism, the cricket authorities have up till now adopted a ‘hear no evil see no evil’ approach to the touchy subject. However, a new study from the Centre for Sport Development Research at Roehampton Institute has confirmed that cricket