The return of Emma Dabiri

Podcast Summary

• A call to action for coalition building: Emma Dabery's new book challenges power dynamics in allyship and advocates for coalition building to fight against perpetuating suffering

  Nature's simple pleasures, like the longer evenings and the promise of new growth, can bring a sense of optimism and appreciation for the present moment. Author and academic Emma Dabery, a previous guest on the Blind Boy podcast, shares this sentiment and has written a new book, "What White People Can Do Next," which challenges the power dynamics in the concept of allyship and advocates for coalition instead. The book, with its provocative title, is a deconstruction of race and racism, and an anti-colonial and anti-capitalist work. Emma was disappointed when a discussion on her previous appearance on the podcast didn't delve into allyship as she had hoped. The book is a call to action for coalition building to fight against power structures that perpetuate suffering. The author references her earlier interview on the podcast as a missed opportunity and a motivation for her new work.

• A roadmap towards racial justice: Expert Emma Dabir's book offers a political perspective on racial categories and serves as a valuable resource for those seeking to contribute to racial justice

  Emma Dabir's new book, "What White People Can Do Next," serves as a roadmap towards racial justice by transforming expressions of support into meaningful change. Dabir, an expert in her field, writes out of frustration and concern that we're missing a historic opportunity for change due to the wrong questions being asked and ineffective frameworks being used. The book is a political one, as Dabir's academic background in African history, art, and sociology has led her to explore the construction of racial categories. If you're looking for ways to contribute to racial justice, this book is recommended as a valuable resource. Dabir's writing is highly regarded, and reading her work may inspire you to explore other perspectives on the topic. Support for this podcast comes from listeners through Patreon, allowing the host to continue creating content without external influence.

• Origins of Racial Categories in Barbados during British Colonialism: Racial categories, specifically black and white, were created during British colonialism in response to labor needs and power struggles, not based on inherent differences.

  The construct of racism, specifically the black and white racial categories, originated during British colonialism, particularly in Barbados. The English colonizers created these categories as a response to the labor needs on their plantations, where they had both indentured Irish laborers and enslaved Africans. The uprisings from these groups threatened the power structure, leading to the codification of racial categories and the introduction of draconian laws against black people. This notion of race was used to justify the enslavement of Africans and the belief in their inferiority, while whiteness was associated with superiority. It's important to recognize the historical context of these racial categories and understand that they are a colonial construct rather than inherent or natural.

• The colonial era created a rigid hierarchy based on race, dividing and weakening potential alliances.: During colonial times, the construction of whiteness served to divide oppressed groups, granting advantages to some and degrading others, a legacy that continues to impact our understanding of race and class today.

  During the colonial era, the construction of whiteness served to divide and weaken potential alliances between different oppressed groups, such as indentured Europeans and enslaved Africans. This was achieved through laws and social norms that granted relative advantages to indentured laborers and degraded Africans, creating a rigid hierarchy where black people had no rights or recourse to justice. The Irish, who were also subjected to oppressive conditions, were eventually racialized as white, allowing them to climb the social ladder at the expense of Africans or African Americans. This history of colonization and the creation of whiteness as a means of control and division continues to impact our understanding of race and class today. It's essential for us to recognize these parallels and shared experiences, and strive for empathy and solidarity across different communities rather than identifying with the systems of oppression.

• Irish Americans distinguished themselves from black Americans during US immigration: Fear of competition and desire for assimilation led Irish Americans to support slavery and white supremacy during US immigration, highlighting the need to address class and capitalism in current anti-racist movements.

  During the Irish immigration to the United States in the 1840s, despite shared struggles due to colonialism and oppression, Irish Americans distinguished themselves from black Americans through investment in white supremacy and support for slavery. This was driven by fears of competition for jobs and the desire to assimilate into American society. The absence of discussions on class and capitalism in the current anti-racist movement can lead to inadequate responses to oppressions and the failure to connect the dots between different forms of oppression. The invention of the white and black races during this period was no coincidence, as it served to justify the exploitation of labor in the new capitalist system.

• Capitalism and racism interconnected, hindering progress towards equality: Capitalism's competition and individualism fuel racism, while social media rewards divisiveness, hindering progress towards equality and understanding

  Capitalism and racism are deeply interconnected and require recognition of their inherent inequality. Capitalism thrives on competition and individualism, which can be seen even in contemporary activism. Additionally, platforms like Twitter, which have become central to important conversations, are designed to reward high arousal emotions and divisiveness, perpetuating the very issues they aim to address. This creates a vicious cycle that can hinder progress towards equality and understanding. Instead, it's crucial to critically examine these systems and seek out nuanced conversations that foster empathy and collective action.

• Social media and the overshadowing of systemic issues: Social media can lead to performative activism, overshadowing systemic change. Focusing on individual microaggressions can distract from larger, systemic issues. True change requires concrete actions and a commitment to long-term, sustainable solutions.

  While social media can be a valuable tool for education and conversation about complex issues like race and racism, it can also be a source of reductive and reactive forms of outrage that drown out nuanced explanations. Microaggressions, a form of subtle discrimination, are a pervasive issue, but the focus on these interpersonal incidents often overshadows larger systemic issues. The sixties saw the building of parallel institutions aimed at creating material change, but now, there seems to be a shift towards performative activism, where saying something takes precedence over doing something. The lack of clear demands and concrete actions for change contributes to this performative culture. It's important to remember that addressing systemic issues requires more than just calling out individuals or companies for their actions; it requires a redistribution of resources and a commitment to long-term, sustainable change.

• Bridging the gap between performative activism and actual change: Examining corporate exploitation and neoliberal identity politics to prioritize structural change over performative statements.

  While online activism and calls for representation are important, it's equally crucial to examine the structures and practices behind the issues we care about. The discussion highlighted the disconnect between performative activism and actual change, using examples of corporations exploiting labor in the global south and the limited impact of performative statements. The speaker also touched upon the overwhelming nature of the issue and the role of neoliberal identity politics in prioritizing representation over structural change. However, there's a growing backlash against this trend, with an increase in young, theoretically astute organizers advocating for Marxist thinking and deconstructing power structures.

• Manipulating Historical Narratives for Specific Agendas: Be cautious of voices advocating for change, ensuring their intentions align with collective liberation, rather than personal enrichment or maintaining the status quo. Emphasize the need to challenge and dismantle destructive systems, rather than just making them more inclusive.

  Historical narratives can be manipulated to serve specific agendas, as exemplified by the case of the Flamingo Magazine in Britain being funded by Mi 5 or Mi 6. This manipulation often involves co-opting voices that critique systemic issues, such as racism and capitalism, to maintain the status quo. Cornel West's quote, "those who peddle divisive rhetoric and shallow politics are frequently named the spokespeople of our times," highlights this issue. It's crucial to discern the intentions behind voices that speak about anti-racism or other social issues. Are they advocating for collective liberation or personal enrichment? Are they aiming to overturn the table and build something new, or just trying to get a seat at the table? Another concept touched upon in the discussion is fugitivity, which emphasizes the need to dissolve oppressive systems rather than making them more inclusive. The analogy of the slave ship, where some have access to the top deck while others are chained below, illustrates this point. Inclusion is not enough; we need to challenge and dismantle destructive systems. Moreover, the idea of the white savior complex was discussed, and the importance of coalitions and identifying common ground was emphasized as a replacement for the white savior mentality. By working together, we can build a more equitable society.

• Building coalitions based on shared struggles: Recognize shared struggles and work together to challenge harmful systems, rather than relying on charity or benevolence.

  The concept of coalition building should not be based on charity or benevolence, but rather on recognizing that various groups are negatively impacted by the same systems, such as capitalism and racism, and coming together to challenge those systems for mutual benefit. Fred Moten, a theorist, poet, and philosopher, argues against the allyship framework, which he sees as reinforcing power dynamics and being more about the ally's expression of guilt than a genuine desire to confront power. Instead, Moten looks to historical examples like the Rainbow Coalition, which brought together groups that were often seen as opposing each other but shared common struggles, to inspire modern coalition building. This approach recognizes that while different groups may not experience the same forms of oppression, they can still work together to challenge the systems that harm them all.

• Historical coalitions between oppressed groups: Recognizing unity among marginalized communities is crucial, but resistance and classist attitudes can hinder solidarity. Acknowledge biases and actively work towards dismantling oppressive systems.

  Historical coalitions between oppressed groups, such as black organizing, civil rights, and Irish struggles, recognized the importance of unity among all marginalized communities. However, the potential for solidarity was often met with resistance, as seen in the case of Bernadette Devlin McAliskey and the Irish American response to her call for unity with the Black Panthers. Furthermore, the portrayal of racism in media often perpetuates classist attitudes, disguised as anti-racism, rather than promoting genuine coalition and solidarity. It's essential for individuals, particularly those who have benefited from systemic oppression, to acknowledge and take ownership of their internalized biases, and actively work towards dismantling these harmful systems. The history of the Irish in America, with the formation of the police and the invention of repressive policing tactics, serves as a reminder of the complex and interconnected nature of oppression.

• Understanding the origins and impact of racism: Acknowledging racism's existence is crucial for addressing it, challenging assumptions and stereotypes, and promoting real change.

  Racism is not an anomaly but a deeply ingrained ideology that was invented with a specific purpose. It's present in our assumptions and stereotypes about people, and acknowledging this is the first step to unpacking and grappling with it. The author emphasizes that we cannot address racism effectively if we deny its existence. She also encourages white people to challenge their own understanding of race and whiteness, and her provocative title is intended to spark conversation and challenge the status quo. The book is for anyone seeking to understand the limitations and inaccuracies of the current conversation around race and for those who want to see real change. The author also explores consciousness and other ways to move beyond activism in her final proposal.

• Challenging Rigid Identities and Finding Allies in the Natural World: The speaker encourages readers to look beyond race-based alliances and find common ground with nature, specifically plants, to promote a more equitable and sustainable world. The book critiques performative aspects of current anti-racism discourse and offers a historical perspective on the disconnection between humans and the natural world.

  The speaker's book challenges rigid identities and promotes the idea of humans' entanglement with the natural world, which has been disconnected through modernity and historical events like colonialism and capitalism. The speaker proposes that instead of focusing on race-based alliances, we should look to the natural world, specifically plants, as potential allies. The book is intended for those who are critical of "wokeness" and are frustrated with the performative aspects and hypocrisies of current discourse around anti-racism. The book is anti-colonial and anti-capitalist, making it unlikely to be appreciated by those who use critiques of wokeness as a means to serve capitalist agendas. The book is concise and historical, making it a valuable read for those seeking a deeper understanding of the relationship between humans and the environment.

• Behind the Mask of Critics: It's important to remember individuals in social movements are complex and not to reduce them to one-dimensional caricatures. Be wary of hidden agendas and strive for genuine coalition-building.

  Some people who criticize social movements or express disagreement with certain discourses may not hold the beliefs they claim to, but instead, might be using these criticisms as a cover for their true right-wing, capitalist agendas. However, it's essential to remember that individuals within these movements are complex and multidimensional, and reducing them to one-dimensional caricatures is just as harmful as the racism they're fighting against. Moreover, the concept of allyship can sometimes be infantilizing and patronizing, treating people as if they are inherently good or innocent due to their experiences of historical oppression. Instead, it's crucial to recognize the full range of complexities and contradictions within individuals, regardless of their racial or ethnic background. Emma Dabiry, in her book "What White People Can Do Next," emphasizes the importance of acknowledging the humanity and complexity of black people, as well as recognizing the existence of various agendas and motivations within the black community. Ultimately, the goal should be to move beyond allyship and towards genuine coalition-building, where individuals work together to create equitable and just societies.