Cruel Optimism of Racial Injustice

What can we learn from successes and failures in the pursuit of racial justice in the UK and elsewhere in the Global North?

A dominant view of racial justice has long been linked to a ‘cruel optimism’ which normalises social and political outcomes that sustain racial injustice, despite successive governments wielding the means to address it. Researchers, activists and minoritised groups continually identify the drivers of these outcomes, but have grown accustomed to persevering despite strong resistance to change.


Looking at numerous examples across anti-racist movements and key developments in nationhood/nationalism, institutional racism, migration, white supremacy and the disparities of COVID-19, Nasar Meer argues for the need to move on from perpetual crisis in racial justice to a turning point that might herald a change to deep-seated systems of racism.

Publisher Policy Press
Publication date 22 Mar. 2022
Edition First Edition
Language English
Print length 198 pages
ISBN-10 1447363027
ISBN-13 978-1447363026
Item weight 1.05 kg
Dimensions 13.97 x 1.91 x 21.59 cm