How can we speak clearly and powerfully about racism?
From a guide by Reframing Race
Racism is persistent. It shows up in day-to-day life, in our workplaces, etc. When it comes to racism there is a lot of denial. To move the conversation on, Reframing Race spoke to 20,000 people in England and Scotland about race and racism. What were the results?
On the one hand, false racist ideas still have a hold in public thinking e.g. one in five people in England think that some races are born less intelligent than others. On the other hand, many of the same people agree on our shared humanity and on the need to tackle racism.
They also tested dozens of messages with the public. They identified ideas, language and metaphors that move people to think of racism as a system, as a priority and as a problem that can be solved. New ways of talking about racism lead to new ways of listening.
Practical guidance was written up as a result of the study equip campaigners and advocates with effective ways of talking about racism.
‘Framing’ refers to the choices we make when communicating – including what to say, how to structure it, and what to leave out – that guide an audience to digest information or ideas in particular ways. The framing or reframing of ‘race’ does not magically end resistance to change and it needs to work alongside other interventions for social change, like organising and movement-building, street protest, deep community-based work, and producing blueprints for redesigning institutions and systems.
Effective reframing is based on three interconnected dimensions:
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Underlying principles: Advocates and campaigners should emphasise qualities like freedom, care and respect to counteract racist rhetoric and its denial of people’s humanity and possibilities.
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A central story: We recommend that advocates and campaigners take audiences through a story cycle on racism and anti-racism, to highlight values that matter, the nature of problems, where responsibility lies, and what the solutions are.
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Words to live by: Advocates and campaigners should choose their phrases and words with care, emphasising the constructed nature of racist ideology, practice and outcomes and affirming life through language.
This guidance highlights the importance of informed and intentional framing to change the conversation on racism and to create space for meaningful change. The words used by advocates and campaigners can bring audiences to understand and accept that the ideologies, practices and harms of racism are real and systemic – but also solvable. But beyond this, what advocates and campaigners say on the subject not only describes transformation but becomes part of the transformation.
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From a guide by Reframing Race, 05/03/2024