Anti-racism for Beginners

The destructive and dehumanizing effects of racism are quite rightly receiving increased attention. In this short, introductory text, Neil Thompson welcomes this new emphasis but warns against the dangers of oversimplifying complex issues. This is an ideal book for anyone wanting to understand the importance of anti-racism and guidance in taking the necessary steps.

This succinct book offers a starting point for engagement with anti-racism providing a number of sensible frameworks for action that are built on reflective questioning and can be applied to a plethora of situations. Whilst you can read the book quickly, the ideas put forward will prompt deep thinking and undoubtedly lead to those critical conversations that enable learning. Even for those conversant with the field, there are many compelling insights in this text to guide action. Professor Charlotte Williams OBE (from the Foreword)

I remember first encountering Neil Thompson's work as a student. His extensive work on values reassured me early on that social work was the right profession for me. I felt inspired and pleasantly surprised that tackling discrimination and oppression was regarded as a core value. This aligned perfectly with my own values. I'm confident this book will firmly resonate with many social workers and others and will be considered as another valuable resource to educate, empower and equip people from all backgrounds in policy, practice and education for decades to come. 'One world, one race ... the human race!' Wayne Reid, co-editor, Outlanders: Hidden Narratives from Social Workers of Colour from Black & Other Global Majority Communities

Once more, Neil Thompson provides a publication that is not only informative and thought provoking, but also produced in a format that is easy to understand and engage with. He certainly achieves one of his principal aims regarding the need for solidarity in tackling racism alongside other unacceptable forms of discrimination. I have no hesitation in recommending this book as a terrific starting point, but also as a pathway to furthering knowledge on this essential topic. John McGowan, General Secretary, Social Workers Union

Recent events have once again highlighted the ignorance of the press and media in understanding the issues related to racism. These important matters have been polarized into simplistic representations of deep and emotive issues by the media, which are not helpful to those of us aiming to adopt an anti-discriminatory approach. Neil navigates the reader through a vast array of some very complex debates in his no-nonsense way. In this book, he shares his own value base and points out the consequences for not adopting an anti-racist and anti-discriminatory stance. He does this sensitively, enabling the reader to not only understand the complexity of racism but more importantly how to challenge it. Dr Suki Desai, independent researcher

Neil Thompson is a world-leading author and this wonderful and authentic book adds weight to the impact of his body of work. Racism is one of the greatest challenges facing contemporary us today. With creative and critical intent, Neil dissects the concept of racism and powerfully illustrates its complex intersections between theory and practice and presents anti-racism as an urgent issue demanding personal and professional engagement. It will be essential reading for anyone looking to understand anti-racism and will undoubtedly be a leader in the field. Professor Jason Powell, McMaster University, Canada