Recognizing Systemic Racism as a Global Issue

Activity: Recognizing Systemic Racism as a Global Issue  

Doing Sociology 3.2 Removing Colonial Symbols

In this exercise you will consider the merits of getting rid of statues of colonialists on campuses to challenge the dominant view of history and institutional racism in higher education. The toppling of colonial figures and symbols of slavery in the 2020 Black Lives Matter protests around the world is reminiscent of earlier protests in South Africa. Students in South Africa led the “Rhodes Must Fall” campaign in 2015 to question the perception of colonial history and challenge institutional racism in higher education. It started at the University of Cape Town and quickly spread to other South African universities. The movement called for the removal of the statue in honor of Cecil Rhodes, the British imperialist businessman who was prime minister of the Cape Colony (present-day South Africa) in the 1890s. Rhodes’s imperialism was heavily underpinned by racism:

I contend that we are the finest race in the world and that the more of the world we inhabit the better it is for the human race. Just fancy those parts that are at present inhabited by the most despicable specimens of human beings what an alteration there would be if they were brought under Anglo-Saxon influence. (Rhodes quoted in Flint 1974)

With a partner or individually, answer the following questions in writing:

1. Do you think the presence of statues and buildings in honor of White colonialists is a problem? Why or why not?
2. What do you think is achieved by removing these symbols of colonialism?
3. What additional measures, if any, would support this type of action—considering the goal is to end institutional forms of racism?

Note to Instructors: 

This is a brief exercise (5 – 10 minutes) that can be assigned as homework or groupwork and discussions in class or online.