Problematising mainstream Spanish anti-racism: race, racism and whiteness

Abstract

In Spain, anti-racism is of scarce relevance for public debates; besides, it has mainly been discussed in relation to non-EU migrations until recently, and its historical link with colonialism is generally unacknowledged. Within this context, the article analyses the problematisations of ‘race’ and ‘racism’ performed by hegemonic stakeholders in the fields of anti-discrimination, Roma inclusion and immigrant integration policies (public servants, NGOs, experts). The fieldwork materials illustrate that, in this understanding, ‘race’ is rejected not only from a scientific-biological perspective but also as a social-political category. Also, racism is depoliticised and theorised in a twofold manner: a) as a matter of stereotypes, prejudices and lack of information about the ‘Other’; b) as the aggressive acts of explicitly racist individuals/organisations. The structural, historical and institutional dimensions of racism are addressed only as a background context, or even negated by public policies. By not confronting the uneven, material power relations (re)produced by racism, this approach reaffirms ‘institutional whiteness’ as the underlying perspective of mainstream Spanish anti-racism.