Racism : A Concept Burdened by History and Inflation

Racism and anti-racism are frequently discussed in Europe today. The current discussion primarily concerns the discrimination or devaluation of people with distinctive characteristics linked to race or ethnic origin. The current debate is foremost a discussion concerning racism as a dangerous phenomenon, but what this really means is not entirely clear. The aim of this article is to elaborate some perspectives of racism and to demonstrate the importance of contextualising race and racism in reference both to history and to contemporary society. This article primarily focuses on Europe with an outlook to Africa and links to nationalism, slavery, colonialism and the inequality represented in the fourth world, a concept coined by Manuel Castell. In the article, I argue that each situation of injustice should be analysed in its own context. Racism should not be used as an alternative for tribalism, ethnocentrism or and kind of discriminatory act involving people of different ethnic origins. Using racism as a concept for different actions on the individual, group, national or international levels will prevent us both from analysing each individual situation and from working for changes of social and economic injustices. With racism as a concept for all kinds of deeds and misdeeds grouped together, we continue to misguide ourselves with a concept that implies anything and everything