#blacklivesmatter racism is a human problem

If that was true it would mean there is something unique about white Europeans, some kind of exceptionalism?

No anthropologist with valid field experience advocates the use of the term tribe anymore- it just doesn’t describe any specific form of social/political organisation. It’s profoundly anchored in 19th and 20th Century evolutionist thinking about ‘primitive’ others that were commonly contrasted with the ‘civilised’ west. I would go as far as to say that the use of the term today is in itself racist.It is true that in many indigenous cosmologies around the world (especially in the Amazon for example), humanity is thought to conincide with one’s own social group, and everyone beyond that is a barbarian. I would however say that the kind of racism We are talking about in the context of BLM, the racism that underpins empire and colonialisation, is clearly a fairly modern western invention and unparalleled in the ethnographic record.

Also the ‘tribes’ in Ghana and Nigeria that you know, I would be interested to know how the colonial experience has reconfigured relations between them, especially in Ghana and Nigeria where the British used indirect rule very effectively.

Nah - it's everyone's problem. You can't make it one groups problem because then the impetus is on them to fix it. White supremacists aren't going to end white supremacy on their own - everyone has to join together otherwise nothing is going to happen.

You also have the issue of one groups solution probably not being accepted as the end by any other group. For example the British slave-trade past; if we leave it up to the rich people whose inherited wealth comes from the British slave trade, they will probably think job done on fixing past wrongs when they move a few token statues into a museum somewhere & put up a plaque saying they were a few bad apples of the time. When that's probably not going to be job done for anyone else.

I witnessed plenty of racism in Colombia during my extended visits there. Colombia had a brutal slave history of black people under Spanish rule going back 500 years, equally their indigenous groups have very little land to live their own way of life or have been displaced due to +50 years of violence, land grabs etc.. Ultimately landowners and the big corps, will continue to control everything with the assistance of the US. All this despite efforts for peace and reconciliation with the remaining left wing guerilla groups in recent years. Atrocities by all sides, but Colombia’s black and native populations suffered more than most.

I agree with Lw, in the context of Colombia, everyone in that country need to challenge the ultra wealthy and their paramilitary protection, not consider black slave descendants and indigenous people part of their flora and fauna.

No anthropologist with valid field experience advocates the use of the term tribe anymore

Way over my head. I just know that during the 15 or so years I've co-owned businesses in West Africa, my friends and business partners often ask people they've just met which tribe they are from and use the word tribe extensively. People seem to be very proud to talk of their tribal ancestry.

Hadn't crossed my mind that it might not be acceptable to use that word. What is the correct word to use to describe a tribe now? Is it more that a white person shouldn't use tribe?

Fucking cunts.
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2020/jul/04/police-smash-car-window-ryan-colaco-tv-interview-racism

Most Nigerians I've met have used the word tribe, and not that I've used it that extensively but none of them have mentioned my use. Equally when I lived with an indigenous community in Bolivia I'm pretty sure the Spanish speaking guide used the word tribe (or rather the Spanish version).

But I get the argument against it, and in both my examples neither were overly PC in their language.

This is not my area of expertise, but I remember when reading Congo by David Can Reybrouck that the construct if tribes was imposed by the Belgian authorities in the Congo, and that it ultimately took on a constitutive reality that led to the development of tribal identities. I don't know how this correlates to the experience of Ghana or Nigeria in the colonial or post colonial era.

I'm guessing from the post that the OP would use 'indigenous cosmologies' in place of tribe. Having said that, I would have been too ignorant to know check myself from the use of tribe.

My sister-in-law is from Zimbabwe (her father was Joshua Nkomo) and she regularly refers to her tribe, the Ndebele, if that helps?

But is she an anthropologist with valid field experience?

The problem post independence is that whatever European power had control would use a divide and rule 1st implemented by the English in Ireland over a 1000 years ago and then rolled out all over the world. The issue between ethnic groups in Africa is that all sharing space formed along European borders

1st implemented by the English in Ireland over a 1000 years ago

I'm no expert on this particular period, but this is a stretch. It was only around this time that England began to exist as a politically unified kingdom. The invasion of Ireland that occurred not long after was initiated by the Normans, who at the time ruled England having invaded from Northern France, and were the descendents of Vikings, and so on...

What are peoples thoughts on a program for reparations similar to what Germany did after the second World War?
Of course it's a very broad subject but I could imagine it starting with the most urgent cases first
like the Windrush scandal. The victims could receive extra pensions and if they are no longer alive that could be paid to the families. The families could also get easier ways to receive proper citizenship if needed.
There could be an independent institute with historians researching past injustice and compensations could be worked out based on their findings, be it for individuals or countries.

I'm guessing from the post that the OP would use 'indigenous cosmologies' in place of tribe.

As mentioned above, I'm no sociologist, but as I understand it the term 'indigenous cosmologies' is an alternative to the term 'creation theory' or 'creation mythology' (i.e. a description of a belief system as to how the world and universe was created and why), rather than a term used to denote a self-identifying group of people. As usual, happy to be told I'm totes wrong and told what the real meaning of the term is. It does seem somewhat opaque given the etymology of the word 'cosmology'.

It's a human problem which is why racism is also widespread in many places without substantial white populations.

What makes white racism such a big problem are the huge structural inequalities in favour of white people in so much of the world. The inequalities in material wealth, physical safety and opportunity are vast.

That and the extra perilous situation it puts black people in beyond the discrimination that all non whites suffer.

I see the Mail has its knives out for BLM. It really is reliably a force for ill. The comments under articles on BLM in professional soccer make for depressing reading.

I just noticed this thread last night, I tend to stick to subscribed threads and only have a wider look every couple of weeks. Anyway, I’m glad it’s here.

I shared this on the forum a couple of years ago, it’s still one of the best pieces of writing I’ve read on the subject.

http://lithub.com/walking-while-black/

Maybe the stretch is in the current BLM, but is the reason of the 'troubles' which is the nearest (IMO) that the uk has come to freedom fighters.

Here's another little tidbit about some incredibly nice people playing around with racism:

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2020/jul/05/gove-and-johnson-sold-as-slaves-at-oxford-student-charity-event

What's a little slavery among friends?

The problem post independence is that whatever European power had control would use a divide and rule 1st implemented by the English in Ireland over a 1000 years ago and then rolled out all over the world.

Well, 'divide and rule' is as old as the hills. I can't imagine people didn't do it in prehistoric times. It was one of the foundations of the Roman Empire, for example:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Divide_and_rule

There's no question that more recent applications, such as in Ireland, North America, and Africa is of more relevance to us today.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/athletics/53301318

It is not enough that you are an international athlete...representing the country. I wonder whether an Andrew Strauss (White, ex-English cricketeer) or a Harry Kane (White, English Footballer) would be stopped and treated this way.

I would love to see the footage to make my own mind up here. Why were TSG making a stop such as this? So many questions around the police statement.

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/jul/06/black-lives-matter-protests-change-demands?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

TSG doing community policing racially profiling 2 young parents.
Over policing of ethnic minorities has been going unchecked for decades .
I did a podcast in May about the police and their relationship with black community. https://podcasts.google.com/?feed=aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5zaW1wbGVjYXN0LmNvbS9TUjNTc09pdg&ep=14&episode=M2M3YWJhMzUtMWY3My00ZjRkLTkzZGQtYTUyNDM0ZjEwYWEz

I got into a quite heated debate with two colleagues today... Apparently, Golliwogs are just harmless dolls... I went to town, obvs, but made zero headway... My boss, who identifies as indigenous, has a large collection of gollys at home and thinks that's absolutely fine, she isn't offended at all...

I left the room for a while to clear my head and bumped into my Caribbean colleague who'd just overheard the whole exchange... We both just stood there looking at each other in disbelief...

Australia, my friends... Where white privilege knows no bounds!!

Golliwog is a racist in no uncertain terms