Comment

‘May we bring harmony’? Thatcher’s legacy on ‘race’

Cameron’s nativist policies begin with Thatcher. Thatcher’s attitude to foreigners can be summed up in two phrases: ‘people are really rather afraid that this country might be rather swamped by people with a different culture’ (January 1978) and the war cry ‘Sink the Belgrano’ (May 1983) over the Malvinas.  She was, without doubt, a xenophobe,

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The Caribbean in Sepia: a history in photographs 1840-1900

A discussion of a book presenting a visual narrative of the Caribbean world. Tuesday 16 April 2013, 6-7.30pm Senate House Court Room, first floor, University of London, Russell Square, London WC1E 7HU Speakers: Patrick Vernon – Every Generation Media Ian Randle – publisher Related links The Black & Asian Studies Association

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News

Gove’s history curriculum condemned

Michael Gove’s reform of the national history curriculum has caused widespread concern. The Department for Education (DfE) is currently hosting a consultation on reforms to the national curriculum that will affect children from primary school-age to Key Stage 3. The consultation is aimed at school teachers, parents, young people, employers and local authorities among others,

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News

School exclusions show racial bias

A new report shows that black and minority ethnic children are far more likely to be permanently excluded from schools. The Office of the Children’s Commissioner has warned that schools are failing their Black and Gypsy, Roma and Traveller pupils, among others. The findings are published in a report, They Go The Extra Mile, which

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World War II: colonies & colonials

A lecture on a new book about overlooked political activism during the second world war. Thursday 4 April 2013, 6-7.30pm Senate House Court Room, first floor, University of London, Russell Square, London WC1E 7HU Speakers: Marika Sherwood – author of World War II: colonies & colonials Related links The Black & Asian Studies Association

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Interview

Miliband, migration and the market

IRR News continues its discussion with A. Sivanandan about Miliband’s policies. Have you changed your view in any way given Miliband’s party political broadcast and Yvette Cooper’s speech on 7 March? You seemed in December to have some hopes that Labour under Miliband might be somewhat more progressive. (Read the interview here: ‘Miliband’s progress?‘) No

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News

London Against Racism

A new oral history project on anti-racist activity in London wants to record the experiences of those active in anti-racist struggles. Eastside Community Heritage, an oral history charity, is recording and archiving oral history interviews with those involved in key anti-racist events such as the Battle of Lewisham and movements like the Rock Against Racism.

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Launch of a new book on Eslanda Robeson

A meeting to launch the biography of Mrs Paul Robeson written by a leading black American feminist. Tuesday 16 April 2013, 6.30pm Firebox, 106-8 Cromer Street, London WC1H 8BZ Speakers: Barbara Ransby – Scholar-activist, historian and professor of African- American and Gender and Women Studies at the University of Illinois (Chicago), Race & Class editorial

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Press Release

Facing up to racial violence

The IRR publishes a report today on how racial violence is shaping the UK. Racial violence: facing reality warns that attacks on BME individuals are actually spreading to new areas of the country, as under the impact of globalisation and austerity measures, populations swiftly change; and points to the potential dangers in ‘decanting’ those affected

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Comment

British Future and the new patriotism

A report by the British Future think-tank suggests the need for a new British patriotism. Patriotism is back on the agenda. It is a patriotism which draws on the success of the feel-good pride said to have been generated through last year’s Olympics. It is a patriotism which seeks to harness the widespread bunting-brandishing joy

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