Race does not exist; at least not in a biological sense. Surely by now everyone knows that there is only one race, the human race. Race is a social construct; defined not by biology but by society. It is 'imagined'. Yet for something imaginary, it retains a powerful hold on modern thinking.
The challenge is that as a social construct with no basis in fact, patterns of racism are always shifting, as the range of issues that Runnymede has tackled over the past 43 years highlights.
It means that groups of people can be racialised in one context and not in another; (for example, Eastern Europeans are victims of race hate in the UK but not in Poland) that people do not have to be rational in their racism ("not you, you're alright, it's the others that I can't stand") that it can shift from colour to cultural practice and back ("it's not Black people its hip-hop/reggae/youth culture") that it is not the same thing over time (stereotypes of Black men shift from solely suitable for manual work to work-shy as convenient to prove a racialised point).
Whatever the patterns, the roots are the same – the will to deny the humanity of an individual from a particular group because they are identifiably 'different' in some way. The impact can be devastating.
Many people from minority ethnic communities are achieving at the highest levels. In 1983 there were no minority ethnic MPs in the UK parliament, there are now 24. In sport, arts, fashion, industry and the academy, we can point to people from minority ethnic backgrounds who are succeeding. But just because some people have made it over the barriers, it does not mean that the barriers no longer exist.
We know that in England, the majority of children who live above the fourth floor in tower blocks are Black or Asian. We know that Black men are seven times more likely to stopped and searched by the police than white men. We know that Chinese pupils do extremely well at school, but that Chinese graduates can expect to learn 25% less over the course of their careers in comparison to their white counterparts. That if you have an African or Asian sounding name, you have to make nearly twice as many job applications before you even get an interview. That of the nearly 300 Black Caribbean students who got the grades to attend Oxford University in 2009 – only one ended up studying there. We know that ultimately being born into a minority ethnic group in the UK shortens your life span.
In education, business, criminal justice, employment, health and housing, race still matters. This is tragic for individuals, but also has an impact on whole communities. Last year there were three times as many young Black men in the prison system than there were in our top universities. The knock–on effects in terms of fatherhood, families and educational achievement for the next generation are legion. Racism limits our ability to function effectively, or to utilise the talents evident in all communities. There remains an urgent need to address these racial inequalities and the barriers that remain to full participation in our societies.
It is for this reason that Runnymede continues to exist; to provide the intelligence we need to create and sustain a successful multi-ethnic society. Our research highlights the ways that we need to change to become a society where racism has no hold. Our work enables marginalised voices to be heard, and holds political decision-makers to account.
Race may be imaginary, but while we do not intervene to help each other to imagine a better way, the effects of racism remain very real for its victims. The European Diversity Awards seek to inspire our imaginations and celebrate the intelligent interventions that work to create societies that can benefit from the talent and contribution of all people, whatever their ethnic background.
Dr Rob Berkeley is director of the Runnymede Trust
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