How to talk about race and racism in Germany?

Last week I conducted a workshop on “Levels of Racism” at a German University based on the work of Dr. Camara Jones. Dr. Jones’ work is fascinating as her allegories click immediately. In the US, race and racism are openly discussed and debated. Initially, in Germany, my work relied heavily on my exposure and training in the US. However, I made a mistake using the translating tool to express myself in German. It translated the word ‘race’ to ‘rasse’! I quickly learned that to transfer the learning, I must work on the terms, vocabulary, and content in the local and national context. Hence, the first thing we discuss in this workshop is the difference between the biological and historical context of the word ‘Rasse’ and the social concept as we understand race and race-based discourse today in the English language. German and many other European languages lack this separation making it difficult for people to engage on this topic.

I was amazed by the feedback of the German and non-German participants. Some of whom shared that now they feel comfortable talking about ‘race’ and ‘racism’. For some, the topic of ‘race’ was never openly discussed in their family or schools as it is related to the Radical Right. However, those who endure racism and discrimination, shared that not having words to describe their experiences also made it hard. The divide between ‘German’ and ‘Foreigner’ is strong in Germany even today. However, as Germany opened its borders for people from different parts of the world, the need for open discussions on diversity, inclusion, and belonging is widening more than ever.

In my work, I bring participants together to openly discuss ‘race’ and ‘racism’ as lived experiences, both structural and inter-personal, without limiting oneself due to the historical context.

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