publication
18.10.21

Factsheet - Race in Germany and Europe

PRESS RELEASE

Factsheet: Race in Germany and Europe

Written by Dr. Stefanie Boulila and Wadzanai Motsi-Khatai

Edited by Miriam Aced and Dr. Emilia Roig

Designed by Wadzanai Motsi-Khatai

Published by the Center for Intersectional Justice

Berlin, October 2021

Download the Factsheet - Race in Germany and Europe

The Center for Intersectional Justice is launching a new Factsheet: Race in Germany and Europe. This Factsheet is a resource for community education, policy-makers and politicians on the social and legal dimensions of race in the European discourse. It maps out the role of race as a term to describe ongoing systems of structural discrimination and the role of race in anti-discrimination legislation.

The goal of this Factsheet is to further the understanding of the contemporary role of race in the EU and specifically German society and legislation, to empower communities with more in depth information on the structural nature of racism and to facilitate ongoing dialogue on race as a social construct and its present importance in the constitution.

"The failure to acknowledge the role of race in European discourse, allows racism to be reproduced further in institutions, such as the police, or policy, e.g. on migration, domestic violence, or even in politics. A denial of race and its lasting impact on society, also undermines efforts for intersectional justice for women, people living with disabilities, trans people and other minorities who are discriminated against as a result of their race as well as their multi-dimensional identities within already marginalized communities. For anti-racism work, the concept of race is a necessary complement to the concept of racism, to push dialogue beyond the actions of individuals and to refocus on the institutional, structural and systemic ways in which discrimination continues."* - Factsheet: Race in Germany and Europe

The Factsheet also includes definitions of race, racism, social construct and other relevant terms. It also provides a comparative table of the term 'race' in international and European Anti-Discrimination Law outlining the importance of providing a common legal tool to address racism on a structural and institutional level.

The Center for Intersectional Justice is a non-profit organization founded in 2017 and based in Berlin. We engage in advocacy and policy-oriented research to make anti-discrimination and equality policy more inclusive and address structural inequalities more effectively in Europe. The CIJ seeks to influence the public discourse and impact on policy-making through direct advocacy, research and policy advice, as well as publications on issues related to intersectional discriminations based on race, gender, class and all other systems of oppression which sustain inequality.

For questions please contact us at cij@intersectionaljustice.org