The Omission of Anti-Semitism in Anti-Racism

by CarobAnn Reed Two identifiable trends in this work the most easily recognizable distinc- which are important to distinguish tion between the "New" and "Old" L'auteure discute des d~ff&entesfa~ons are what I call broad-based anti-rac- World peoples was given a hierarchi- dr percevoir Irs questions dc race et & ism and narrowly-focused anti-rac- cal social signification-that is, those raheet ehamlyJe fimpact & ces ism. Woik which I would classify as with lighter skin colour from the Old vues sur fa position qu bccupe narrowly focusedanti-racismincludes "civilized" European World were in- l 'antisdmitisme dans les projets the work of C. Mullard, G. Brandt, herently superior to the darker H. Carby and the skinned inhabitants of the New "un- earlier work of A. tamedn World. Thus the idea of race Sivanandan. Work and the history of racism is linked to The motivation fir the birth of tbe ideology I would classify as the primary exploitable difference ofracism was to make the monetary broad-based kti- between First and "New" Worldpeo- racism includes the ples' skin colour. To narrowly-fo- expLoitation of the newly &covered hrL work of B. Troyna, cused anti-racists this generative mo- and their peop les morally pahbk J. Williams, B. ment and the colonization that fol- Carter and P. lowed it was of paramount impor- Cohen. It is im- tance in the formation of race rela- antiracistes. L 'autcuredimonm com- portant to first identifj and then ex- tions. Brandt, for example, main- mrntdtff.?rentes intnprttationsdr ques- plicate these two visions of anti-rac- tains that the sixteenth and seven- tions essmtiefks au sein du discourn ism because each has adifferent inter- teenth centuries antiraciste ont encouragt l'cxclusion pretation of the central issues within d'une conscience antishnitique hnsces anti-racist discourse and, in myopin- can be seen as a crucial moment projets. ion, it is the gap between the two in the overt articulation of the views that has abetted the omission of racialization and of relations in Anti-racism, like the multicultural anti-Semitism from anti-racist work Europe as a whole... Black peo- agenda it critiques, is an umbrella and added to a confusion about anti- ple became objectified as term encompassing different, some- Semitism's place within the anti-rac- property... and as human capiml times conflicting viewpoints. Al- ist project. at the hard end oftrade, industry though the anti-racist critique began Broad-based and narrowly-focused and colonization (7). in Britain, it has also emerged in anti-racist viewpoints differ in at least Australia, Canada and, to a much four areas; the concepmalization of Brandt then goes on to explain how lessor extent and more recently, the race and racism, the focus of anti- colonialism and its mirror image, United States. However, it was in racist education, the role of the state imperialism, fostered patterns ofcon- Britain, duringtheeighties, that anti- and its institutions (includingschool- tact and exploitation that fossilized racism flourished and the full flower- ing) and the role ofthe blackcommu- into the practice of racism. "It was in ing ofanti-racist theoretical work took nity in the anti-racist struggle. the colonial situation that the vo- place. It was during this time period cabulary and the culture of racism that Chris Mullard did much of his Narrowly-focused anti-racism acquired [its] systemic form" (19). work including Racism in Society and The history of racism that is acknowl- Schools: History and Policy and Prac- According to the narrowly-focused edged and shapes the concept of race tice; and Race Power and Resis~nce. view, the moment racism entered is the history of imperialism, the his- Barry Troyna wrote Racial Inequality human history exposes its cause and tory of the "conquestn of the New in Education and with Jenny Williams, defines its nature. Hence, much sig- World and the system of plantocratic Racism. Education andtheState. Work nificance is given to the generative slavery that was used to exploit the by P. Gilroy, P. Cohen, R. Jeffcoate, moment of 1492. In 1492 Columbus New World's rich resources. J. Nixon, h SivanandanandH. Carby "discoverednthe Americas with their Because primarily Africans were also appeared at this time and con- abundant natural and human re- used as slaves the physical signifierof tributed to the unfolding anti-racist sources. The motivation for the birth skin colour is seen as the elemental dialogue. of the ideology of racism was to make form ofracial division. Although con- Within this body of work there are the monetary exploitation of the nections of racism to other equity many different, sometimes conflict- newly discovered lands and especially struggles is acknowledged, the focus ing views of the anti-racist project. their peoples morally palatable. Thus, on the understanding of a struggle

68 CANADIAN WOMAN STUDIESILES CAHIERS DE LA FEMME against this history of racism remains be given primacy over other forms of but the politid desire to categorize central. Brandt does make the state- oppression. Not only is the primacy segments of humanity and accord ment that links to other struggles of racism in the anti-racist struggle differential treatment to certain cat- must be made, however at no point different to narrowly-focused and egories or groups ofpeople. Not only in hi book, The RraIiaztion ofAnti- broad-based anti-racists but the defi- is the biological signifier not thecom- Rarist TeaEhing,does he explicate how nition of race and so the shape of mon denominator of racism but other they should be made, or how other racism also differs. To define race, attributes such as stereotypical cul- equity issues impact on the anti-rac- many broad-based anti-racist writers tural traits, religion, language, coun- ist struggle. This particular view of use the concept of racialization. uy oforigin can also be used to racialii anti-racism, represented here by the Robert Miles defines this concept as a a person's identity. Hence race can work of Brandt, is characteristic of " political and ideological process by include such non-biological concepts the narrowly-focused anti-racistview- which particular populations are iden- as language (e.g. in Canada in the point. tified by direct or indirect reference linguisticstruggle between the French to their real or imagined phenotypical and English, the French were Broad-based anti-racism characteristics in such a way as to racializd-thought about, spoken suggest that the population can only about in racial terms--by the English Broad-based anti-racism shares be understood as a supposed biologi- (see Berger), religion (e.g. Jews in with narrowly-focused anti-racism a cal unityn (qtd. in Troyan and Nazi Germany and more recently I determination to examine racism and Williams 3). would argue that Muslims have be- the institutionalization of racism in Skin colour is onesignification that gun to be racialized in North America society. has been used but so have other and Britain), nationality (e.g. theJapa- However, it differs considerably significations, for example, the eye nese during the Second World War from narrowly-focused anti-racism shape of Japanese and Chinese peo- and more recently again in theunited in its determination to forge links ple and the supposedly distinctive States), and behaviour (the traveling with other social justice agenda, its noses of Jewish people. Racialization peoples during the Second World definition of racism, and its view of has taken place over and over again War and again more recently in Ger- the history ofracism. To broad-based with different victims and varying many and East Europe). All can and anti-racists, race and racism cannot degrees ofvictimization and resultant have been used to racialize groups of be abstracted from the broad politi- unequal treatment. According to people and accord them discrimina- cal, historical, and social processes of Troyna and Cashmore, "this is a tory treatment. society which have institutionalized world-wide historical pattern; it seems This view of racism, as a historical unequal power. According to Barry to recognize no boundaries nor time and political project that has focused Troyna and Jenny Williams, the fo- limitsn (20). on different victims at different times, cus of anti-racism is a broadly con- The use of this concept of impacts on the broad-based anti-rac- ceived equal opportunity strategy racialization impacts on the defini- ist conceptualizationof the history of which embraces but does not sub- tion race. This shift in the definition racism. As we have seen, according to sume racism.

The focus here is on wider forms ofoppression.... Blacks, women, The essentialgenerator of racism is not the biologcal gays, the handicapped form dis- crete but component groups signifier but the political desire to categorize within a more general equal op- segments of humanity and accord dzfferential portunities strategy (12 1). treatment to certain categories or group ofpro@. Broad-based anti-racism is based on the convictions that racial inequali- ties are inextricably linked with and of racism-from this history of black narrowly focused anti-racism, the his- reproduced in conjunction with other oppression to the politically moti- tory of race and racism is fused with forms of oppression and secondly vated process whereby shifting tar- the history of slavery and colonialism that change will more likely be ef- gets of victimization are focused on and skin colour is central to the idea fected if alliances with other groups for unequal treatment with race ide- of race. According to broad-based are formed (122, 123). The under- ology used as justification-is central anti-racism, the history of slavery is standing and deconstruction of race to the different perspectives of nar- an important chapter in the history of and racism are central to the anti- row and broad-based anti-racism. The racism and skin colour has been an racist task but racism cannot be essential generator of racism is not the important signifier of race but there viewed as autonomous and must not biological signifier (e.g. skin colour) are other equally important chapters

VOLUME 14, NUMBER 2 in the history of racism and skin The gap- between the two visiona Other considerations colour is but one signifier of many of anti-racism that have been used to racidize groups Geoffry Short has commented on of people. Other important chapters Thus there is a gap between these this omission of anti-Semitism in his in the history of racism include the two trends in anti-racist writing and article "Combating Anti-Semitism: Nazi period in Europe, the eugenics in this gap there has arisen much A Dilemma for Anti-Racist Educa- movement in the 1920s and 30s, and confusion about the place of other tion." According to Short, " anti- the caste system in India, the imperi- ethnocultural equity struggles, espe- racists appear to have eschewed any alism of Japan, etc. The process of cially the place of anti-Semitism in interest in anti-Semitismn (37). He racialization has taken place through- the overall anti-racist project. Tothose argues that this is the result of a out human history and has many who accept the narrowly-focusedanti- combination of causes. The first ex- victims and many variations. No one racism and its definitions of race, the planation he offers is that many anti- place of anti- racists are under the impression that Semitism is prob- anti-Semitism is no longer the prob- lematic. This view lem it oncewas. He quotes R Jeffmte Asking anti-racists to examine ourselvesfor tends to treat anti- who writes that anti-Semitism is "al- Semitism as a kind most but not quite, a nightmare of remnants of racism puts- w in an uncomfortable position but ifthe movement is to remain vigorous ofethnic prejudice the past" (39). and does not ac- Although this unawareness of the this wdlingness to examine ourselves is imperative. knowledge the persistence ofanti-semitism may have place of anti- been possible/understandable in the Semitism in the early and mid-eighties when much of chapter in the history of racism is history of racist discourse. The ideol- the theoretical work on anti-racism seen as the definitive moment. ogy that propelled the Holocaust and was being done, I do not think that the Holocaust itself is not viewed as this lack of awareness could as easily Summary emanating from and itself shaping persist today. After the recent media European racism as it does not deal coverage of the rise of the new (old?) In the anti-racist literature some with issues of anti-black prejudice or Right and neo-Nazism in Europe (es- writers, whom I have labeled nar- plantocratic slavery. Thus, it is not pecially in the newly reunited Ger- rowly-focused anti-racistwriters,view included in the anti-racist agenda. many), and the rise of anti-Semitism the struggle against racism as the cen- On the other hand, the definitions within the ultra nationalist parties in tral focus of anti-racism, see the his- and vision of broad-based anti-rac- Russia, the longevity and vigour of tory of racism as shaped by the his- ism do allow for anti-Semitism to be anti-Semitism can no longer be over- tory ofcolonialism, plantocratic slav- seen as a form of racism and be in- looked or viewed as a relic from the ery and the history of the oppression cluded in the overall agenda. past. Anti-Semitism is not only alive of black people. The idea of race is in However, although there is no theo- and thriving in Europe, it has again turn shaped by this history and skin retical inconsistency for broad-based become an alluring and dangerous colour is seen as the primary signifier anti-racist writers to deal with anti- outlet for alienated youth both in of race. Other anti-racist writers Semitism, there has been little mo- Europe and North America. If anti- whom I have called broad-based anti- mentum to deal with it. Barry Troyna, racist writers were perhaps unaware racists see the focus of anti-racism as Jenny Williarns and to a greater ex- ofthis phenomenon on the early and a broadly based equity struggle which tent Philip Cohen mention anti- mid-eighties, this unawareness can names and attempts to deconstruct Semitism in their writings but with no longer account for any continued racism but only as part of a larger the exception of Cohen, very little omission of anti-Semitism. attempt to redress all inequalitiesand space has been accorded to the his- Another explanation that Short emphasizes the links between all eq- tory of anti-Semitism, its place in offers for the omission of anti- uity struggles. The definition of race racist discourse, the preponderance Semitism is that given the anti-racist that informs this school of anti-racist and tenacity of Jewish stereotypes movement is primarily a left wing thought includes the concept of and the relationship of the fight movement with apoliticallyleft wing1 racialization and emphasizes the po- against anti-Semitism to other anti- socialist economic analysis, it is pos- litical will to set apart or racidize, racist education projects. Although sible that the "historic links between groups of people for various reasons the gap between the two anti-racist anti-Semitism and the left" (40) may including supposed biological fea- views goes some way to explaining have influenced this omission. This turesandcultural features. Thephysi- the conhion around and the result- possibility, that the neglect of anti- cal signifiers of race are seen only as ant omission ofanti-semitism in anti- Semitism is a sin of commission not one of many signifiers of race and are racist writings, there are other possi- omission must beconsidered and "put not seen as of paramount import. ble explanations for this omission. on the table." Asking anti-racists to

CANADIAN WOMAN STUDIESILES CAHIERS DE LA FEMME examine ourselves for remnants of taged (41). This issue needs to be for and accommodate the ever-chang- racism puts us in an uncomfortable problematized within the anti-racist ing shape of racism as well as the and unaccustomed position but if framework and used to complicate many historical forms of racism and the movement is to remain vigorous the anti-racist view of discrimination discriminationsuch as anti-Semitism then this rigorous honesty and will- and rnarginalization.The Jewish com- will determine the efficacy and lon- ingness to examine ourselves is im- munity may be in a relatively secure gevity of the movement. perative and is no more than we have economic place but in the past, in asked others to do. Germany in the 30s for example, this Garok Ann Red is currently the Edu- Lastly, Short thinks that the anti- place ofprivilege did not protect them cational and Employment Equity and racist emphasis on the power dimen- but in fact was used to make them a HarassmentPrevention Coordinatorat sion within racism plus the percep- target for societal exclusion and rac- the Ontario Institute fir Studies in tion (and stereotype) that Jews are a ism. Their privilege was used to Education. She recently completed her powerful group within society, has marginalize them and target them for doctoral dissertation on the link be- led to the impression that Jews are discriminatory treatment, economi- tween Holocaust andAnti-Racist edu- not victims of the same kind of racial cally, educationally and finally target cation. disadvantageas other minority groups them for imprisonment and death. (40). The racial disadvantages that These variations in the history of anti-racists focus on are the economic discriminatory practice need to be and educational disadvantages that taken into account by the anti-racist other racial minorities, especially framework and used to acknowledge Brandt, G. The ReaIiurtion of Anti- black minorities suffer from. The the many guises that racist behaviour Racist Education. London: Falmer victims of anti-Semitism, do not, can adopt. Because Jews do not fit in Press, 1986. today in North America or Britain to the anti-racist framework should Berger, C. TheSenre ofPower: Studies (countries from which the anti-racist not be used as a reason to exclude the in the idcm of Canadian Imperial- critiques emerged) suffer from eco- particular kind of racism that they ism 1867-1914. Toronto: nomic or educational disadvantage can be the targets of. Instead, anti- Universtiy offoronto Press, 1970. because of their heritage. In fict, the racists must consider their theoretical Cohen, Philip. TackingCommonSrnre dilemma that Jews present for anti- framework and constantly fine tune Rarirm. Cultural Studies Project racism is thrown into particularly it to accommodate the changing Annual Report. London, 1988189. . sharp relief because they are widely shapes and multifaceted nature of Cohen, Philip. "Reason, racism and perceived as powerful and advan- racism and discriminatory behaviour. the Popular Monster." B. Richards, ed. Crircs of the Self: London: Free Conclusion Association Books, 1989. Mullard, Chris. Racism in Society and Anti-Semitism presents a challenge Schools: History andPolicy. London to anti-racism. Given its theoretical Centre for Multicultural Educa- framework and its more plastic view tion, 1980. of race, racialization and racism, the . Race Power and Resist- broadly based vision of anti-racism is ance. London: Centre for better able to respond to that chal- Multicultural Education, 1985. lenge. The reappearance of virulent Short, G. "Combatting Anti- anti-Semitism in the newly invigor- Semitism: A Dilemma for ated Right and in today's alienated AntiRacist Education." BritishJour- youth movements, as well as the ap- ml of Educational Studies. 39(1) pearance of ethnic cleansing which (1991). (Want to be heard?l uses ethnidcultural backgrounds as Troyna, Barry. Racial Inequality in grounds to exterminate whole Education. London Routledge, Pay Equity. Violence in the Workplace. Homophobia. populations, give an urgency to the 1987. Sexual Harrassment. Retraining. Free Trade. I I need to problematizc all forms of Troyna, Barry, E. Cashmore. Intro- In OUR TIMES, Canada's Independent Labour Magazine, racialization and discrimination in duction to Race Relations. London: you'll read about economic and social justice issues that the anti-racist movement. Failure to Routledge & Kegan Panl, 1983. concern women and men, from the perspective of union and community activists. do this condemns the movement to Troyna Barry, J. Williams. Racim. fractionalism and to being outpaced Education and the SW. London: Want to hear mwef Subscribe to OUR THVlES and outmoded by complicated and now (six issues for only $20). Write to Our Times, Croom Helm, 1986. Dept. CWS, 390 Duffer in Street, Toronto, Ontario fist changing historical and social M6K 2A3 or call (4M) 531-5762 to place your order. events. In my opinion, the ability of the anti-racist movement to account

VOLUME 14, NUMBER 2