The Diversity of Exploitation. On the Critique of Dominant Antiracism

What is it about?

When we set out to write this anthology, our aim was to tie together different critical threads on identity politics we had been discussing with several leftist activists in Germany for some years. The intensification of identity-​based social discourse, as well as the pandering of socialist organizations to identity politics, led us to believe that a Marxist intervention into this dynamic was necessary. Since Marxism and racism studies are very marginal within German-​speaking academia, we set out to compile an anthology for this specific audience. Our hope was to write out some of our critiques, as a basis for further discussions with our peers and comrades on questions of class and race in Germany.

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Photo by Koshu Kunii on Unsplash

Photo by Koshu Kunii on Unsplash

Why is it important?

Since we, Bafta and Eleonora, first published the book, we have travelled to more than 35 German, Austrian, and Swiss cities to read from this anthology to local audiences. After numerous book readings, public talks, key notes, and interviews, with the book now in its fourth edition, we realized the importance of a Marxist intervention, with a specific focus on the historical genesis of racism in Germany, into German identity politics. Marxism is not dead after all. On the contrary, young and old audience members alike were intrigued by our class analysis of racism.