Historicising Contemporary Racial Inequalities

Theme in the Politics of Inequality research programme

In this research theme, Dr Camacho Felix and Dr Lavenaire examine political, economic and social issues which stem from some historical processes of racialisation. 

They aim to critically (re)cast history and make visible the role of race and racialisation in understanding both socio-racial inequalities in the Americas and the role of racialised bodies in international movements. These projects challenge our knowledge of contemporary issues of racial inequality by exploring their roots and origins.   

One project looks at coming back to the foundations of the post-slavery plantation system(s) through a comparative perspective to understand some contemporary racial inequalities structurally as economic and social inequalities since the abolitions of slavery in the 19^th century. The other re-tells the histories of leftist internationalism of the 1920s-1960s to make visible the contribution of African revolutionaries. 

Together, these projects intend to emphasize the problem of race from an historical lens to help us better apprehend the challenges we face and the world we are living in today.

This research consists of two ongoing projects:

• Social Change and Racial Inequalities in the Post-Slavery Plantation Societies 19^th – 21^st century

• Decolonising histories of internationalism within and beyond Europe: Inôcencio da Câmara Pires in Angolan, Brazilian, and Iberian leftist movements