Race and Politics – The parallels between race and discrimination in the US and UK

This panel discusses the parallels between race and discrimination in the US and UK and considers how structure and institutional change is possible – particularly in politics.

The killing of George Floyd on 25 May 2020 by a police officer in Minneapolis sparked protests across the US that have reverberated around the world and forced long overdue conversations on systemic racism.

Racial prejudices are sustained by social, political and economic systems and structures that fail to accommodate and represent diverse voices. The ongoing Black Lives Matter protests have brought renewed focus onto laws, policies and practices that actively discriminate against people of colour.

As societies are forced to confront persistent racist cultures and environments, does the current moment mark a significant shift in the global anti-racist movement?

How do political attitudes and systems perpetuate racism and how can it be dismantled? How can differing groups support an anti-racism agenda in a way that leads to meaningful change and what does it mean to be an ally in this context? How can local and international actors collaborate to ensure that the current momentum in the anti-racist movement is sustained? And to what extent can changing social attitudes towards race drive political transformation?

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