Racism and xenophobia

This Collection supports and amplifies research related to SDG 03 - Good Health & Wellbeing and SDG 10 - Reduced Inequalities.

Since time immemorial societies have systematically discriminated against or felt threatened by groups perceived as the ‘other’.

Accounts from Ancient Rome, for instance, speak of tensions between groups who worshipped different deities or the stereotyping of those who spoke in other languages. Modern concepts of racism emerged primarily during the 15th and 18th centuries. European powers developed pseudo-scientific theories of racial hierarchy to justify colonialism, slavery, and exploitation. The transatlantic slave trade represented a pivotal development, establishing economic and social systems based on racial categorization that would have lasting global and social repercussions, including to the present day. The 19th century saw the emergence of ‘scientific racism’, which sought to provide biological justifications for racial hierarchies. These theories influenced policies worldwide, from Jim Crow laws in the United States to apartheid in South Africa. Social Darwinism further reinforced these ideologies, suggesting that racial differences reflected evolutionary advancement. The 20th century witnessed the Holocaust, colonial genocides, and systematic segregation. These led to vocal and influential movements opposing racism and discrimination.  

Xenophobia — the fear or hatred of people and cultures that are perceived as alien or strange — has often intensified during periods of social change or economic stress. The rises in anti-immigrant sentiment during the The Industrial Revolution and Great Depression are cases in point. Today, increases in global migration, spurred by poverty, conflict and climate change, have led to new social and political tensions in many countries and regions. 

We invite academic research spanning all areas of the humanities and social sciences that explores the concepts of racism and xenophobia and related phenomena. 

Key themes include: 

• Intersectionality and systemic racism 
• Technology and social media  
• Post-colonial perspectives  
• Migration, integration, and transnational identities 
• Memory studies (e.g., remembering and confronting historic racism) 
• Anti-racist movements 
• Historical roots of racism 
• Socioeconomic perspectives 
• Psychology of racism and prejudice  
• Frameworks for promoting equality and justice 
• Populism and race