Call for Papers: Race Politics Theoria (Non-APSA Publication)

Contributions are invited for a special issue of Theoria aimed at exploring the broad political, social and economic implications of race in the contemporary world. Contributors are encouraged to reflect directly on the changing nature of race in the modern world, and on the major theories and theorists that influence both how race is understood and explained and how it impacts upon political, social and economic life. Questions which may guide contributions include: In what ways does race remain an organizing principle of social and political control and identity management? How have the interrelationships between race, class and gender altered over the past twenty years, in both global and general terms and in particular cases and contexts? What can be learned from current and continuing debates over the politics of race in such diverse contexts as the Middle East, the United States of America, the European Union and post-apartheid South Africa? What are the implications of various definitions of race and racism in policy and public life? Can constructions of ‘race’ contribute to democratic change or are they always to the detriment of democracy? What do international, comparative, historical and philosophical studies reveal about the relationships between race and nationalism, religion, ideology, culture and ethnicity in the 21st century? For example, are – and if so, in what way, and to what extent – nationalisms (old and new, European and Asian, African and Afrikaner, Christian, Islamic and Zionist) indelibly coloured by race and racism, and thus kindred phenomena? Is affirmative action still an important and useful tool to ameliorate racial inequalities, and what are its actual effects? Is multiculturalism simply a legitimizing language for old racialized essentialisms? 

Contributions from across the social sciences and humanities, both discipline-specific and interdisciplinary, will be welcomed.  The deadline for submission of papers is 1 December 2008. An electronic version of the paper (between 6000 and 9000 words in length, and preferably in MSWord), including an abstract and a short biography, should be sent to: Roger Deacon, Managing Editor: THEORIA, deacon@ukzn.ac.za. 

General information regarding Theoria may be obtained from its website: http://www.theoria.ukzn.ac.za/