Nikita Krouwel, Trans Atlantic Studies student at Radboud University and a person of colour remembers how lost she felt last year when her university did not publish a statement in response to the global Black Lives Matter protests. “The silence was deafening. The university did not seem to realise how upset many students, not just those of colour, were by the murder of George Floyd and what it had set in motion or that you can’t stay silent on racism. It was very painful.”
Protesting During the Coronavirus Pandemic
She also realises that protesting is not a natural reaction in the Netherlands. Anya Topolski, researcher in the field of racism, religion, identity, and inclusion and Radboud University, says that a spark doesn’t quickly result in a fire here like in other countries. “The fact that so many people joined in, especially during the coronavirus pandemic, was remarkable. But to say that the topic has remained at the top of the agenda over the past year – no. But anti-racism does come up more often.”
Ignorance and Fear
Topolski says that talking about race and racism is very difficult for many people. Even at a university, where you may not expect it, there is ignorance as well as a fear of saying the wrong thing or to hurting people. Some white people even think that racism is not an issue in the Netherlands. In their opinion, “Racism was anti-Semitism, and that doesn’t exist anymore.” Gloria Wekker calls this “white innocence”. You can ignore the things you don’t experience. But then there are matters such as the childcare benefit scandal that involved ethnic profiling, causing many people to realise that racism is definitely present in the Netherlands and that it might be less occasional than they had thought.”
Parliament: More Diverse Than Ever, More Extreme Than Ever
Racism is not an insular topic: it is related to other types of exclusion and inequality. Sexism, a lack of educational advisement, the housing conditions that groups of people in society have to deal with — all those aspects are intertwined. That intersectionality, as it is called, is becoming more obvious for more people. “The good news is that after the most recent elections, the House of Representatives is more diverse than ever,” says Krouwel. “But at the same time, the most extreme right-wing representatives in a long time were also elected.”
Does Everyone Feel at Home at the University?
In any case, the Black Lives Matter protests have increased the attention to racism and inequality, globally and nationally. At Radboud University, an Anti-Racism Awareness week took place with many online meetings and discussions. However, Krouwel and Topolski doubt whether the university is a place where everyone truly feels at home. They still don’t see enough people of colour: the predominant perspective is white and Western — even when it concerns who or what is covered in education.
Wanting to Learn
A positive sign is that the meeting with Lewis Gordon attracted a lot of interest. Topolski: “He is a very inspiring speaker who has also taught me a lot. That’s important: all of us wanting to learn. That is why we have structured the evening in such a way that there is time for discussion and active audience participation. Racism and inequality are not topics that you should leave to the experts.”
#Blacklivesmatter: one year later. From global to local with Lewis Gordon & Suus te Braak Lux Nijmegen, online event. English-language event; questions can be asked in Dutch. Thursday 3 June, 8.00 p.m. Free access. The maximum number of online participants is 300, so register quickly! https://www.lux-nijmegen.nl/debat/online-blacklivesmatter-one-year-later/
Image: Dyana Wing So via Unsplash.