Anti-racist alliances and solidarities: typologies, cases and experiences

Abstract

ABSTRACT This paper outlines a genealogy of interracial alliances forged in different parts of the world between organisations and social movements in order to show their potential and the challenges they face. Next, I focus on creating a typology of anti-racist alliances in order to illuminate the Mexican case, specifically during the years 2017 and 2018. I highlight the consequences for anti-racist struggles of the ambiguities around Mestizo identification: contexts of mestizaje (mixture) prevent Mestizo people from locating themselves in relation to practices of racism, and from identifying the role they play in the reproduction or elimination of racism. Finally, using two case studies, I explain the nuances of the strengths and the challenges involved in developing alliances, solidarities or, simply, coalitions for common causes, which very rarely imply having the fight against racism as a common cause.