The sociology of race – time to change course?

Abstract

For almost a decade now, policy-related writing and research in the field of race relations has been viewed in academic circles with suspicion and at times hostility. Since the break-up of the old Institute of Race Relations following the resignation of its council after a vote of no confidence in April 1972, and the publication of polemical attacks on the old race relations industry (Jenkins, 1971; Mullard, 1973; Sivanandan, 1974; Kirkby, 1975), social scientists have been reluctant to engage in debate in this area. The politics of race as a branch of social scientific study has by and large confined itself to a consideration of: right-wing organisations, their racist ideologies, electoral successes, recruitment patterns etc. (Crewe, 1975; Walker, 1977; Edgar, 1977; Nugent and King, 1977; Miles and Phizacklea, 1979); the voting patterns of ethnic minority groups (Lawrence, 1975; Community Relations Commission, 1975; Miles and Phizacklea, 1977; Layton-Henry, 1978); the emergence and development of ‘race’ as a political issue in post-war Britain. The emphasis here has been placed on the role of central government, particularly its ‘immigration’ policies (Foot, 1965; Dummett, 1969; Humphrey and Ward, 1974; Moore and Wallace, 1975) and also the media’s role in this politicisation process (Hartmann and Husband, 1974; Husband, 1975; Braham, 1977; Hall et al., 1978); anti-racist/immigrant/black/welfare organisations, especially the Campaign Against Racial Discrimination (Heinemann, 1972; Banton, and the local Community Relations Councils (Hill and Issacheroff, 1971; Abott, 1971; Barker, 1975; Katznelson, 1973). (For more general discussion here, see Lawrence, 1975; Mullard, 1973; Lewis, 1970 and Ben-Tovim, 1978); the effects of specific social policies on ethnic minority/black groups, e.g. housing (Rex and Moore, 1971; Smith and Whalley, Ward, 19 79; McKay, 1977; and also publications from Bristol Ethnic Relations Research Unit) and education (e.g. Coard, 1971; Milner, 1975; Giles, 1977; Little, 1978). (See Jones, 1977, for a general discussion of social policies in this field).