Racism, Governance, and Public Policy : Beyond Human Rights

Cultural diversity is sometimes seen as a feature of modern European society. However, closer examination shows that European societies have always been - to a greater or lesser degree - diverse societies. This book investigates whether European societies are becoming more or less tolerant and pluralistic in their values and practices, and examines those factors which contribute to the construction and maintenance of tolerant, culturally diverse societies with a view to better formulation of policies.

This book presents a new framing of policy debates on the question of racism through a discursive critique of contemporary issues and contexts, drawing on a program of new European research carried out between 2010 and 2013, with a central focus on the UK. This includes analysis of the discursive construction of Muslims in three contexts: the workplace, education and the media. Informed by a fundamental critique of both the "post-racial" and the limitations of human rights strategies, it identifies the ongoing significance of contemporary raciality in governance strategies and develops a new radical agenda for addressing these processes, advocating strategies of "racism reduction."