Conceptualizations of Racism in Contemporary Britain

Introduction

Racism in contemporary Britain is a complex and often contentious issue. The important questions related to this concept are difficult for various critics to agree upon. Issues such as primordialism and the importance of class structures in the struggle for racial equality serve as the center of various debates surrounding race and racism in contemporary Britain.

Primordialism and Biological Theories of Race

Primordialism is a concept attached to the biological origins of race and the effect of this upon social behavior (Mason in Rex & Mason 5). The question surrounding this issue is whether the phenotype or culture attached to racial origins has an independent effect, or whether it is mediated by contemporary social meaning. This is reminiscent of the biological inferiority theories that use race as an excuse for oppression, and the scientific exploration of human origins is thus incorporated into racist theory.

According to The Bell Curve (published in 1994), for example, Black people are held to be inferior to white people — lacking the capacity to keep pace with technological change and therefore unfit for positions requiring technological understanding. High-income groups thereby adhere to the misconception that they are biologically superior to low-income groups, when the only real difference may be no more than a difference in opportunity. Further inequality theories may be based upon cultural, linguistic, or moralistic grounds.

Language Policy and Ethnic Identity

There has been considerable controversy related to the use of language by British immigrants (Gasciani, 2002). Home Secretary David Blunkett called for the use of English in the homes of ethnic minorities in Britain. While critics acknowledge the importance of English for full participation in British life, they also argue that demanding its use in the privacy of the home is an altogether different matter. Britain is composed of a diverse collection of ethnic groups: settled ethnic minority communities are now in their third generation of British-born citizens, while a large part of the population also consists of new immigrants as well as Welsh and Scots Gaelic speakers. Blunkett focused on the British Asian population, claiming that English is spoken in the home in only a little more than two-thirds of those households. He argued that this contributes to poverty and unemployment among these citizens. Others, however, suggest that privileging English to the exclusion of all other languages infringes a vital right to cultural diversity, and that immigrants risk losing their culture when language is homogenized. This is one example of a political effort to homogenize culture and ignore racial difference in the name of equality.

According to British Asians themselves, speaking more than one language strengthens an identity that is simultaneously British and Asian. Heterogeneity thus fosters a stronger dual sense of identity that enriches the diversity of British life (Gasciani, 2002). Multilingualism also cultivates better understanding between older and younger generations — an understanding that can, in turn, improve relations between different ethnic groups.

Research by the Home Office indicates that potential immigrants are not unwilling to speak or learn English; it is in fact a key factor in their decision to come to the UK (Gasciani, 2002). It is therefore crucial to assist immigrants with their English skills once they arrive. Language proficiency is undeniably necessary for accessing social privileges such as employment and basic functioning in British society. This assistance should, however, be provided in a way that does not make minorities feel their culture will be engulfed by an obligation to use only one language — one that is not their own — even in their own homes.

Conclusion

Britain is moving into an era in which equality issues are of major importance. Through protest and sustained effort, racial and other minorities can work together to achieve positive social change.

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