Beyond Black and White

This chapter expands the understanding of racism beyond the conventional Black/White binary. Thompson highlights how various groups – including Jewish people, Romani and Traveller communities, Eastern Europeans, Irish people and indigenous populations – face forms of racism often overlooked in mainstream discourse. He introduces the concept of ‘racialization’ to explain how cultural or ethnic identities can become constructed as inferior. The chapter also addresses issues such as anti-semitism, internal colonialism, colourism and the caste system, showing how racism manifests across diverse social and historical contexts. Thompson argues that the failure to acknowledge these forms of racism contributes to marginalization and limits the effectiveness of anti-racist practice. He calls for a more inclusive and nuanced approach that recognizes the full spectrum of racialized experiences. The chapter serves as a reminder that anti-racism must confront all forms of exclusion and injustice, not just those that fit dominant narratives.