Black Political Mobilisation and the Struggle for Equality

Abstract

One of the most interesting aspects of recent debates in Britain about issues of race and ethnicity is that increasing attention is being given to the political dimension. Within both academic and social discourses there is growing awareness that we need to examine the role of politics in shaping public debate about key aspects of contemporary racial relations in British society. It is as a result of this development that we are seeing the emergence of analyses of the role of black2 and ethnic minority political mobilisation. This aspect of racial relations in British society has been relatively neglected, and few studies have been conducted into the forms and impact of minority political mobilisation. But in recent years this issue has come to the fore in debates about race and related issues in British society. This growing interest has given rise to a number of questions. In what ways can we talk about specific forms of black and ethnic forms of political mobilisation? What impact can black and ethnic political mobilisation have on the public policy agenda? How far is black political mobilisation overlaid by class? What role does representation in political institutions play in furthering the claims of black people to the fundamental rights of citizenship? It is not possible to address all of these questions in this paper, but we shall attempt to tackle at least some of the key issues arising from recent debates. Additionally we shall also suggest that there are some issues that require more detailed investigation and research. This is particularly the case in the current ideological and political climate which has been shaped by the neo-conservative policies of the Thatcher administrations. With the end of Thatcher's prime ministership and the prospect of a closely fought General Election the question is raised: how far will her legacy continue to impact on the politics of race in the 1990s? This is an issue which we hope this paper will help to clarify.