This thesis examines two central research questions: Can ‘race’ as both a historical and contemporary concept be dispensed with when it is perceived as socially real and has significant material consequences? And, can ‘race’ ever be justified as an acceptable category and concept if it (re)produces ‘natural’ and hierarchical differences which function to both explain and validate racism? Important historically and presently as seemingly every aspect of social and political relations has become deeply inflected by a racial dimension, these questions frame a problematic I refer to as postracialism. Methodologically a work of historical sociology this thesis draws significantly on original archival research and qualitative interview data in its critical analysis of the ongoing controversy surrounding the scientific, political and ethical status of ‘race’ through an exploration of the social, political and institutional histories of postracialisms. My project significantly expands contemporary postracial discussions which remain largely library based by examining unpublished archival material and qualitative interview data alongside ongoing literature and debates. This original data enables the thesis to open up a mutually beneficial dialogue between antiracist theory and antiracist practice, to assess the possibility of a postracial antiracism and to engage in critical reflection on the relation between activist and intellectual work. Ultimately, this thesis assesses whether race is a necessary, contingent, or dispensable category through an examination of the scientific, political and ethical stakes of getting rid of the category.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:bl.uk/oai:ethos.bl.uk:586877 |
| Date | January 2013 |
| Creators | Paul, Joshua D. |
| Publisher | Goldsmiths College (University of London) |
| Source Sets | Ethos UK |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Electronic Thesis or Dissertation |
| Source | http://research.gold.ac.uk/9546/ |
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