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From institutional racism to community cohesion: the changing nature of racial discourse

Pilkington, A. (2008) From institutional racism to community cohesion: the changing nature of racial discourse. Sociological Research Online. 13(3), p. 21. 1360-7804.

Item Type: Article
Abstract: It is imperative that an appropriate balance is reached between three key principles: equality, diversity and social cohesion. In many countries across the world, however, there is a discernible move away from a concern for equality and diversity as the problem of order looms larger. I shall focus here on Britain in presenting my central thesis that there is a very real danger that a new nationalist discourse centred on community cohesion and integration is trouncing any duties on us to promote racial equality and respect cultural diversity. The paper comprises three sections. I shall firstly identify a radical hour when there was for the first time official recognition that institutional racism existed in British society and some urgency that this needed to be combated. I shall secondly highlight the fragility of such progressiveness and identify threats from the changing nature of racial discourse since 2001. Here, I shall highlight in particular how the prominence given to institutional racism, with the publication of the Macpherson report, was remarkably short lived and how multiculturalism has come under increasing attack, not least because of its purported threat to social cohesion. I shall finally offer some tentative proposals for a more positive way forward
Uncontrolled Keywords: Britishness; Community Cohesion; Equality; Ethnicity; Integration; Institutional Racism; Multiculturalism; Race
Subjects: H Social Sciences > HM Sociology > HM1001 Social psychology > HM1176 Social influence. Social pressure > HM1271 Multiculturalism. Diversity. Toleration
H Social Sciences > HT Communities. Classes. Races > HT1501 Races. Race relations
Creators: Pilkington, Andrew
Publisher: SAGE Publications
Faculties, Divisions and Institutes: University Faculties, Divisions and Research Centres - OLD > School of Social Sciences (to 2016)
Date: 2008
Date Type: Publication
Page Range: p. 21
Journal or Publication Title: Sociological Research Online
Volume: 13
Number: 3
Language: English
ISSN: 1360-7804
Status: Published / Disseminated
URI: http://nectar.northampton.ac.uk/id/eprint/1606

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