The International Politics of Race

by Banton, Michael

• ISBN13: 9780745630496
• ISBN10: 0745630499
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2002-12-13
• Publisher: Polity

Summary

In this important and timely new book, Michael Banton examines the international politics of racial discrimination and racism. The book recounts key events in the international politics of race during the past few decades. It discusses the difficulties in defining race and racism, provides case studies of international initiatives and national measures against discrimination, and reviews the 2001 World Conference Against Racism. The idea that humans naturally belong in races derives from a scientific error, but it is not easily dispelled from popular thought. By relying on this conception of racism, the international antiracist movement continually recycles the very idea of race that it condemns. In its place, the adoption of an international perspective should inspire a powerful critique of the language of race as used in the English-speaking world. The new language of human rights reformulates the issues in ways that should appeal to everyone. Michael Banton's writings over many years have included classical studies of race and ethnicity and have made him one of the best-known and respected sociologists of race. This book will be a key text for students of the politics and sociology of race, international relations and anti-discrimination law. It is written in a style that will also appeal to the general reader.

Author Biography

Emeritus Professor of Sociology, University of Bristol

Table of Contents

List of Acronyms	vii
Preface	1	(8)
Race as Species	9	(19)
A two-dimensional concept
Racial typology
Selectionism
Popular usage in English
The tangled web
Unesco	28	(11)
Scientific facts
Science and politics
Present problems
The UN General Assembly	39	(28)
Treaties
The noble lie
The legal instrument: discrimination
The legal instrument: protected fields
Political action
The decades
Universality
Diplomacy
Two theses
A Living Instrument	67	(21)
Ratification
Treaty monitoring
Broadening the scope
Annual reports
Communications
Prospects
Problems ahead
Australia Arraigned	88	(10)
White Australia
Native title
Equal treatment
A multicultural society
Unfinished business
The USA Enlists	98	(20)
Why ratify?
Ethnogenesis
The initial/third report
A language of diversity
Britain in Europe	118	(24)
European institutions
Immigration
National variations
Ethnic monitoring
Reflections
The Third World Conference	142	(28)
Alternatives
Drafting
Durban 2001
The Declaration
The Programme of Action
Reservations
A calamity
Public Policy and Human Rights	170	(18)
Human rights standards
Equality in civil and political rights
Equality in economic, social and cultural rights
Ethnic relations
Better Explanations	188	(25)
Race as a social category
The racism problematic
After racism
Postface	213	(4)
Bibliography	217	(7)
Index	224