When was the last time you heard a person of colour challenge structural racism – the role of government policies, organisational practices and popular representations in reinforcing racial inequalities – and, in so doing, be widely supported, listened to and heeded? Racial inequalities are stark, yet normalised. White people are privileged yet complacent, and refuse to listen. In her phenomenally brilliant new book, Why I’m No Longer Talking to White People about Race, Reni Eddo-Lodge catalyses an urgent conversation about race in Britain, writes Alice Evans

Evans, Alice

LSE Research Online

1/4By Democratic Audit UK 31 March 2018Book Review | Why I’m No Longer Talking to WhitePeople about Race by Reni Eddo-Lodgedemocraticaudit.com/2018/03/31/book-review-why-im-no-longer-talking-to-white-people-about-race-by-reni-eddo-lodge/When was the last time you heard a person of colour challenge structural racism – therole of government policies, organisational practices and popular representations inreinforcing racial inequalities – and, in so doing, be widely supported, listened to andheeded? Racial inequalities are stark, yet normalised. White people are privileged yetcomplacent, and refuse to listen. In her phenomenally brilliant new book, Why I’m NoLonger Talking to White People about Race, Reni Eddo-Lodge catalyses an urgentconversation about race in Britain, writes Alice Evans.Picture: Johnny Silvercloud, via (CC BY SA 2.0)Why I’m No Longer Talking to White People about Race. Reni Eddo-Lodge.Bloomsbury. 2017.2/4This is the most important book I’ve read in several years. It’s beautifully written, powerful,moving and rightly distressing. As such, this review will be a little unusual. I will notcritique the book (as I have others for the LSE Review of Books). This is partly because Iam entirely convinced, and partly because that would be fundamentally missing the point.We (white people) stand accused of wilful ignorance; of refusing to recognise structuralracism; and of indignantly shouting down proposed reforms. We urgently need to startlistening to people of colour, reflecting on our practices and doing far better.To build empathy and understanding, Reni Eddo-Lodge traces our British history ofslavery, lynchings, police brutality and the enduring obstacles that reproduce inequalitiesin education and employment. To my shame, much of this information was new to me. Idid not know that after the First World War (typically memorialised as unity against ashared foe), there were racist lynch mobs in Liverpool and Cardiff. Further, rather thanprotect the victims, our government repatriated 600 black people, notwithstanding theircontributions to the war effort.Hatred, hostility and police brutality continued in the twentieth century, as Eddo-Lodgeeloquently narrates. Yet politicians, films and news media have typically portrayed black(not white) people as violent threats. And that was the myth I grew up with as a child.Kept in a white, established middle-class enclosure, seldom seeing black men inpositions of authority or expertise, I distinctly remember fearing them. Eddo-Lodge seesthis, perfectly.Thankfully, I went to an international school, where I interacted with people of colour,recognised our commonalities and stopped making these ignorant, racist assumptions.But like many other characters depicted in Eddo-Lodge’s book, I remained shamefullyblinkered to my white privilege. I arrogantly assumed that I was succeeding in school,gaining internships and other wonderful opportunities through hard work and merit alone.I was blinkered to the truth: the obstacles, the hurdles, at each and every single stage,that thwart black lives in Britain. Even if black workers endure and excel, overcoming asystem rigged against them, the pay gap widens with A-level qualifications.3/4And let’s be honest, this isn’t news. As Eddo-Lodge details, we see structural racismevery day: most kids who live above the fourth floor of tower blocks are black or Asian.Meanwhile, white people are over-represented in academia, senior management, politicsand films. As a philosophy undergraduate, I only read books and papers by white men. Inever questioned this.To build a fairer Britain, we urgently need to start talking about race. Yet, Eddo-Lodgehighlights that when people of colour do speak out – pushing for decolonised curricula,affirmative action, short-lists, black film stars – they’re shouted down and vilified. Anyattempts to diversify (Idris Elba as James Bond, a black Hermione Granger) are roundlycondemned. Cue indignant outrage that Britishness might not always be represented aswhite. To protect and preserve themselves from these unrelenting attacks, some peopleof colour want ‘safe spaces’. This is a mistake, explain paternalistic white people. Theyproceed to tell others who endure profound racism to ‘toughen up and grow a thickerskin’. Indeed, their closed-mindedness seems rather racist … As Eddo-Lodge remarks,we are more outraged by accusations of racism than racism itself.White solidarity was publicly asserted last week, when Dr. Priyamvada Gopal and othersquestioned Professor Mary Beard’s remarks about Haiti. Rather than listen and learn fromalternative perspectives, many white people defended their hero, and tarred interlocutorswith the ‘angry black woman’ stereotype in a bid to delegitimise their critique.Now, you may be thinking: ‘Sure, those white people are awful. But I’m different. Far fromdecrying diversity, I welcome it. My favourite film this year is Black Panther!’ Fine, goodfor you. But does your solidarity go beyond individual consumerism? For instance, whenyou saw the Telegraph’s nasty smear campaign against Lola Olufemi, did you write tocomplain, mobilise to protest or just sigh and turn the page?White British people have greatly benefitted from structural inequalities. Pervasive racismmeans that we are favoured – in education, employment and politics. And we allow this topersist. As Eddo-Lodge surmises:White privilege is dull, grinding complacency. It is par for the course in a world inwhich drastic race inequality is responded to with a shoulder shrug, considered justthe norm […] Everyone is complicit, but no one wants to take on responsibility.Guilty, as charged.Going forwards, Eddo-Lodge calls for us to listen intently, learn from marginalisedperspectives, intervene as bystanders and collectively address profound inequalities. Sheemphasises that, collectively, we have the power to create the world we want to live in.Racial equality is not a spectator sport. Although inequalities are systemic, change startswith us.Why I’m No Longer Talking to White People about Race should be compulsory reading inall schools. It is the building blocks of a fairer Britain.4/4This review gives the views of the author, and not that of Democratic Audit. It wasoriginally published on the LSE Review of Books blog.This review is published as part of a March 2018 endeavour, ‘A Month of Our Own:Amplifying Women’s Voices on LSE Review of Books’. If you would like to contribute tothe project in this month or beyond, please contact themat Lsereviewofbooks@lse.ac.uk. Alice Evans is a Lecturer in the Social Science of Development at King’s CollegeLondon. She researches inequality, social change and global production networks. Readmore by Alice Evans.Similar Posts

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Book review: Why I’m no longer talking to white people about race by Reni Eddo-Lodge

Book	Review:	Why	I’m	No	Longer	Talking	to	WhitePeople	about	Race	by	Reni	Eddo-LodgeWhen	was	the	last	time	you	heard	a	person	of	colour	challenge	structural	racism	–	the	role	of	government	policies,organisational	practices	and	popular	representations	in	reinforcing	racial	inequalities	–	and,	in	so	doing,	be	widelysupported,	listened	to	and	heeded?	Racial	inequalities	are	stark,	yet	normalised.	White	people	are	privileged	yetcomplacent,	and	refuse	to	listen.	In	her	phenomenally	brilliant	new	book,	Why	I’m	No	Longer	Talking	to	WhitePeople	about	Race,	Reni	Eddo-Lodge	catalyses	an	urgent	conversation	about	race	in	Britain,	writes	Alice	Evans.This	review	is	published	as	part	of	a	March	2018	endeavour,	‘A	Month	of	Our	Own:	Amplifying	Women’s	Voiceson	LSE	Review	of	Books’.	If	you	would	like	to	contribute	to	the	project	in	this	month	or	beyond,	please	contact	us	atLsereviewofbooks@lse.ac.uk.	Why	I’m	No	Longer	Talking	to	White	People	about	Race.	Reni	Eddo-Lodge.	Bloomsbury.	2017.This	is	the	most	important	book	I’ve	read	in	several	years.	It’s	beautifully	written,powerful,	moving	and	rightly	distressing.	As	such,	this	review	will	be	a	little	unusual.	I	willnot	critique	the	book	(as	I	have	others	on	this	site).	This	is	partly	because	I	am	entirelyconvinced,	and	partly	because	that	would	be	fundamentally	missing	the	point.	We	(whitepeople)	stand	accused	of	wilful	ignorance;	of	refusing	to	recognise	structural	racism;	andof	indignantly	shouting	down	proposed	reforms.	We	urgently	need	to	start	listening	topeople	of	colour,	reflecting	on	our	practices	and	doing	far	better.To	build	empathy	and	understanding,	Reni	Eddo-Lodge	traces	our	British	history	ofslavery,	lynchings,	police	brutality	and	the	enduring	obstacles	that	reproduce	inequalitiesin	education	and	employment.	To	my	shame,	much	of	this	information	was	new	to	me.	Idid	not	know	that	after	the	First	World	War	(typically	memorialised	as	unity	against	ashared	foe),	there	were	racist	lynch	mobs	in	Liverpool	and	Cardiff.	Further,	rather	thanprotect	the	victims,	our	government	repatriated	600	black	people,	notwithstanding	theircontributions	to	the	war	effort.Hatred,	hostility	and	police	brutality	continued	in	the	twentieth	century,	as	Eddo-Lodgeeloquently	narrates.	Yet	politicians,	films	and	news	media	have	typically	portrayed	black	(not	white)	people	as	violentthreats.	And	that	was	the	myth	I	grew	up	with	as	a	child.	Kept	in	a	white,	established	middle-class	enclosure,	seldomseeing	black	men	in	positions	of	authority	or	expertise,	I	distinctly	remember	fearing	them.	Eddo-Lodge	sees	this,perfectly.Thankfully,	I	went	to	an	international	school,	where	I	interacted	with	people	of	colour,	recognised	our	commonalitiesand	stopped	making	these	ignorant,	racist	assumptions.	But	like	many	other	characters	depicted	in	Eddo-Lodge’sbook,	I	remained	shamefully	blinkered	to	my	white	privilege.	I	arrogantly	assumed	that	I	was	succeeding	in	school,gaining	internships	and	other	wonderful	opportunities	through	hard	work	and	merit	alone.	I	was	blinkered	to	the	truth:the	obstacles,	the	hurdles,	at	each	and	every	single	stage,	that	thwart	black	lives	in	Britain.	Even	if	black	workersendure	and	excel,	overcoming	a	system	rigged	against	them,	the	pay	gap	widens	with	A-level	qualifications.LSE Review of Books: Book Review: Why I’m No Longer Talking to White People about Race by Reni Eddo-Lodge Page 1 of 3		Date originally posted: 2018-03-02Permalink: http://blogs.lse.ac.uk/lsereviewofbooks/2018/03/02/book-review-why-im-no-longer-talking-to-white-people-about-race-by-reni-eddo-lodge/Blog homepage: http://blogs.lse.ac.uk/lsereviewofbooks/Image	Credit:	(Johnny	Silvercloud	CC	BY	SA	2.0)And	let’s	be	honest,	this	isn’t	news.	As	Eddo-Lodge	details,	we	see	structural	racism	every	day:	most	kids	who	liveabove	the	fourth	floor	of	tower	blocks	are	black	or	Asian.	Meanwhile,	white	people	are	over-represented	in	academia,senior	management,	politics	and	films.	As	a	philosophy	undergraduate,	I	only	read	books	and	papers	by	white	men.	Inever	questioned	this.To	build	a	fairer	Britain,	we	urgently	need	to	start	talking	about	race.	Yet,	Eddo-Lodge	highlights	that	when	people	ofcolour	do	speak	out	–	pushing	for	decolonised	curricula,	affirmative	action,	short-lists,	black	film	stars	–	they’reshouted	down	and	vilified.	Any	attempts	to	diversify	(Idris	Elba	as	James	Bond,	a	black	Hermione	Granger)	areroundly	condemned.	Cue	indignant	outrage	that	Britishness	might	not	always	be	represented	as	white.	To	protectand	preserve	themselves	from	these	unrelenting	attacks,	some	people	of	colour	want	‘safe	spaces’.	This	is	amistake,	explain	paternalistic	white	people.	They	proceed	to	tell	others	who	endure	profound	racism	to	‘toughen	upand	grow	a	thicker	skin’.	Indeed,	their	closed-mindedness	seems	rather	racist	…	As	Eddo-Lodge	remarks,	we	aremore	outraged	by	accusations	of	racism	than	racism	itself.White	solidarity	was	publicly	asserted	last	week,	when	Dr.	Priyamvada	Gopal	and	others	questioned	Professor	MaryBeard’s	remarks	about	Haiti.	Rather	than	listen	and	learn	from	alternative	perspectives,	many	white	people	defendedtheir	hero,	and	tarred	interlocutors	with	the	‘angry	black	woman’	stereotype	in	a	bid	to	delegitimise	their	critique.Mary	Beard	isn’t	being	silenced.	People	called	her	out	and	there’s	a	huge	difference.	Lots	of	black	womencalled	her	out.	But	it	seems	you	have	no	problem	silencing	us.	Are	we	not	women	too?	Or	are	we	thewrong	kind	to	illicit	any	sympathy	from	you?	https://t.co/t1vfSoNRcO—	Ava	Vidal	��������	(@thetwerkinggirl)	February	18,	2018Now,	you	may	be	thinking:	‘Sure,	those	white	people	are	awful.	But	I’m	different.	Far	from	decrying	diversity,	Iwelcome	it.	My	favourite	film	this	year	is	Black	Panther!’	Fine,	good	for	you.	But	does	your	solidarity	go	beyondindividual	consumerism?	For	instance,	when	you	saw	the	Telegraph’s	nasty	smear	campaign	against	Lola	Olufemi,did	you	write	to	complain,	mobilise	to	protest	or	just	sigh	and	turn	the	page?White	British	people	have	greatly	benefitted	from	structural	inequalities.	Pervasive	racism	means	that	we	arefavoured	–	in	education,	employment	and	politics.	And	we	allow	this	to	persist.	As	Eddo-Lodge	surmises:White	privilege	is	dull,	grinding	complacency.	It	is	par	for	the	course	in	a	world	in	which	drastic	raceinequality	is	responded	to	with	a	shoulder	shrug,	considered	just	the	norm	[…]	Everyone	is	complicit,	butno	one	wants	to	take	on	responsibility.Guilty,	as	charged.LSE Review of Books: Book Review: Why I’m No Longer Talking to White People about Race by Reni Eddo-Lodge Page 2 of 3		Date originally posted: 2018-03-02Permalink: http://blogs.lse.ac.uk/lsereviewofbooks/2018/03/02/book-review-why-im-no-longer-talking-to-white-people-about-race-by-reni-eddo-lodge/Blog homepage: http://blogs.lse.ac.uk/lsereviewofbooks/Going	forwards,	Eddo-Lodge	calls	for	us	to	listen	intently,	learn	from	marginalised	perspectives,	intervene	asbystanders	and	collectively	address	profound	inequalities.	She	emphasises	that,	collectively,	we	have	the	power	tocreate	the	world	we	want	to	live	in.	Racial	equality	is	not	a	spectator	sport.	Although	inequalities	are	systemic,change	starts	with	us.Why	I’m	No	Longer	Talking	to	White	People	about	Race	should	be	compulsory	reading	in	all	schools.	It	is	thebuilding	blocks	of	a	fairer	Britain.Alice	Evans	is	a	Lecturer	in	the	Social	Science	of	Development	at	King’s	College	London.	She	researchesinequality,	social	change	and	global	production	networks.	Read	more	by	Alice	Evans.Note:	This	review	gives	the	views	of	the	author,	and	not	the	position	of	the	LSE	Review	of	Books	blog,	or	of	theLondon	School	of	Economics.	LSE Review of Books: Book Review: Why I’m No Longer Talking to White People about Race by Reni Eddo-Lodge Page 3 of 3		Date originally posted: 2018-03-02Permalink: http://blogs.lse.ac.uk/lsereviewofbooks/2018/03/02/book-review-why-im-no-longer-talking-to-white-people-about-race-by-reni-eddo-lodge/Blog homepage: http://blogs.lse.ac.uk/lsereviewofbooks/

Book review: Why I'm no longer talking to white people about race by Reni Eddo-Lodge

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Book review: why I'm no longer talking to white people about race by Reni Eddo-Lodge

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