Sixteenth International Conference on Interdisciplinary Social Sciences

Abstract

Polarisation is evident in a post-Trump, Brexit society due to the rise of nationalist populism and contention from the liberal left; with tensions prevalent when challenging the injustices faced by racialised minority groups. The denial of systemic and institutionalised forms of racism within the nationalist populist movement serves to alienate minority communities and further enforce ‘the Racial contract’ (Mills, 1997). This research presents tentative findings in response to the question: “How does the (re) emergence of the far-right shape ‘ethnic minority’ perceptions of ‘Britishness’?” It draws on empirical data from 20 semi-structured narrative interviews with local men and women within a West Yorkshire jurisdiction; an area with a complex history in terms of community cohesion due to ‘White flight’ and associations with radicalisation. Using thematic analysis and a Critical Race Theory lens, the concepts of ‘orientalism’, ‘Whiteness’ and the ‘invisible touch of race’ (Tate, 2014) are discussed in line with ‘Britishness’ to gain a greater understanding of how minority groups are ‘othered’ by the current nationalist populist discourse .The project presents individual testimonies of racialised minorities experiencing transparent forms of alienation at the hands of Far-right affiliated groups to discreet, pedestrian and ‘invisible’ racism. Exploring the impact of nationalism and its ability to transcend racial lines, this research finds the far right (re) emergence detrimental. Though British, participants sense of citizenship and belonging is being challenged by experiences of racism; the associations between ‘Britishness’ and ‘Whiteness’ and the Islamophobic, anti-migrant and orientalist sentiments perpetuated by the ruling Conservative government.