In discussions of how people of colour achieve liberation, there have always been debates between those who would like to see more diverse capitalism and those who argue that capitalism and racism are inseparable. In the wake of the Black Lives Matter movement, these discussions are more vibrant than ever.

Can there be a progressive, inclusive capitalism, or is racism central to capitalism? What is the connection between the rise of colonialism and the emergence of race as a social category? How did slavery and the plantation economy give rise to pseudoscientific theories of racial difference?

This workshop will explore these histories and debates, and provide an overview of one of the most central questions in contemporary politics of liberation. We will place the debate around racial capitalism in the context of the broader contemporary crisis of capitalism, economic and environmental breakdown and the related crises of energy and the rising cost of living.

We will seek out the answers for the following questions together:

• What is racial capitalism?

• Why should we care about it?
• What is the connection between an analysis of racial capitalism and abolitionist politics?
• How can an understanding of racial capitalism help us to build more effective movements for change?
• How have people used the idea of racial capitalism to build solidarity?

Who is this course for?

Informal learners or activists with an interest in antiracism, history from below and broader left politics.

People who want to understand the contemporary crisis of capitalism

What can I expect?

The workshop will take the form of an interactive workshop.

The workshop tutor will lead sections with an overview of key ideas and information. Participants will be asked to take part in structured activities reflecting on key aspects of the debate around racial capitalism.

Sections will be introduced with reference to slideshows and activities will include handouts.