What Am I? Humanism between Identity Politics and Universalism

Hardly a day goes by without the debate over identity politics and racism ratcheting up a notch. Where yesterday it...

Hardly a day goes by without the debate over identity politics and racism ratcheting up a notch. Where yesterday it was "old white men" who came under fire, today the arguments surround who is allowed to translate Amanda Gorman or who gets to play various characters in films and theatre. The tone is angry, aggressive, divisive. It long since stopped being a question of equality; it’s now rather about who has the sovereign right of interpretation. Who's in charge here and who has a say? Turkish-born journalist and author Canan Topçu says, "That's not my anti-racism." She sets out to trace the development of her own personal identity, while defending herself against prohibitions and taboos. Instead, she argues for dialogue, for civilised interactions and for not taking one's own opinion as the sole measure of all things.

Postcolonial studies are among the most influential critical interventions at the current time, which is not surprising given the enormous...

Postcolonial studies are among the most influential critical interventions at the current time, which is not surprising given the enormous impacts of colonialism. Postcolonial theory aims to analyse the different levels of colonial encounters, highlighting the socio-historical interdependencies and entanglements between the countries of the global ”South“ and ”North“. By critically debating the writings of the three most prominent postcolonial voices, Edward Said, Gayatri Spivak, and Homi Bhabha, this introduction opens up the broad field that is the development of postcolonial theories. The updated third edition critically appraises the new writings of Spivak and Bhabha in particular, but also engages with contemporary debates on globalisation, religion, human rights and decolonisation.

Racism is one of the greatest catastrophes in history. And because of its excessively long history, it affects even the...

Racism is one of the greatest catastrophes in history. And because of its excessively long history, it affects even the smallest contexts of global and local structures. In her powerful book, Susan Arndt analyses and confronts these power structures, from their beginnings to our present day, and shows us how to talk about racism without reproducing it. Fighting racism requires action and appropriate skills. This in turn calls for knowledge and arguments.

In German grammar you want to address people of all genders equally, but you don‘t know how to do that...

In German grammar you want to address people of all genders equally, but you don‘t know how to do that best? In this book, Lucia Clara Rocktäschel explains six ways of using gendered words: from doubled words to the gender gap, as well as the less inconspicuous approaches such as neutral wording or the principle of role distribution.

Hamed Abdel-Samad has bourne the brunt of racism. In Egypt he was denounced as a lightskinned crusader bastard; in Germany...

Hamed Abdel-Samad has bourne the brunt of racism. In Egypt he was denounced as a lightskinned crusader bastard; in Germany his skin is too dark for some, his name too Muslim for others. This book, rich with experience, is not a report about victimhood. It is an analysis of an issue thathas been fuelled – in this country too – by globalisation, migration and events in the USA. The radical nature of the debate, which in Germany goes far beyond the issue of racism to include questions of identity, belonging, freedom of speech and constraints on expression, threatens to divide society deeply. Abdel-Samad seeks to rationalise the confrontation and points to individualism as a way out of the debate on belonging with its obsessive fixation on identity.

Jasmina Kuhnke is an unmistakable voice in the fight against racism in this country. In her first novel, she talks...

Jasmina Kuhnke is an unmistakable voice in the fight against racism in this country. In her first novel, she talks about what it does to you if you always stand out. The protagonist of her book, a black first-person narrator, grows up on the fringes of the Ruhr district, in the 1990s. At home, her violent stepfather rages; at school there is little support, but a lot of exclusion. At a child‘s birthday party, a doorbell prank leaves her face-to-face with a neo-Nazi. The protagonist knows what it‘s like to expect the worst every day, until the worst becomes a matter of course. Where doors open for others, they close more and more for her, until she becomes convinced that she has nothing to offer the world. She gets into an abusive relationship, cements the addiction with two pregnancies, and only at the last moment manages to liberate herself and her children.

What originally began as a protest against police violence in the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement has long since become...

What originally began as a protest against police violence in the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement has long since become a new cultural conflict. At its heart is the assumption that our society is permeated by latent racism. Instead of dealing with specific cases of racist hatred, activists focus on symbols. They place in the dock all manner of objects, names, traditions and linguistic practices that they perceive as discriminatory. The often selfrighteous, accusatory tone, as well as the strict distinction between blacks and whites, make this new antiracism seem authoritarian and censorious. As the essays in this volume demonstrate, however, activists by no means speak for ”all black people.“ A growing number of critics now point out that not only is BLM dividing society, but it is also based on questionable historical premises.

More than ever before, we are busy readjusting the limits of what is reasonable. Where is the limit of what...

More than ever before, we are busy readjusting the limits of what is reasonable. Where is the limit of what can be said? Svenja Flaßpöhler takes a step back to shed light on the conflict’s glowing core: the increasing sensitisation of the self and of society. In human history, sensitivity equals progress: People protect each other in their vulnerability, become more sensitive to their own and others' feelings and fates. But there is a downside to this development: rather than connecting us, this sensitivity is fragmenting society. Svenja Flaßpöhler tells the story of the sensitive self from a philosophical perspective. Resilience is considered the enemy of sensitivity because still today it is associated with cold entrenchment. But is that true? "Sore Subjects" is a highly relevant, philosophical yet entertaining book.

Identity politics is at a dead end: empowerment has been reduced to gender-appropriate language and avoiding the N-word. Everywhere, minorities...

Identity politics is at a dead end: empowerment has been reduced to gender-appropriate language and avoiding the N-word. Everywhere, minorities need protection from possible insult – in university seminars, art and fashion, on the internet and at public events. For those who don‘t occupy politics with their own victimhood, the debate is closed. Those who can‘t keep up with the demanding compulsory reading are out. Criticising such excesses out of solidarity has become a source of dilemma in an age when rightwingers are agitating against unisex toilets and ”marriage for all“ – and when left-wingers see it as the reason for ”Pipi fax“ or for the rise of Trump. Between defence and isolation, this volume looks at the pitfalls of identity politics and searches for alliances beyond the world of blame and victim competition.

A book about unconscious privilege and hidden racism – also in Germany – as seen by someone who faces it...

A book about unconscious privilege and hidden racism – also in Germany – as seen by someone who faces it every day. What is the experience of Germany for a person who belongs here, but who looks different to many Germans? As the son of Moroccan guest workers and, as a journalist for a German newspaper, an involuntary “role model for integration”, Mohamed Amjahid is confronted daily with the fact that he is not white. He holds up a mirror to the majority white society and shows that discriminatory behaviour and racist prejudice are faults not only of the hard right, but also of people who see themselves as enlightened and tolerant. In a pointed and self-deprecating way, he makes it clear that racism has a lot to do with privilege – especially when we are not aware of it.

If you want to fight racism, you have to want change – and that starts with yourself. “Can I touch...

If you want to fight racism, you have to want change – and that starts with yourself. “Can I touch your hair?“ “Can you get sunburned?“ “Where are you from?“ People who ask these questions usually don‘t mean any harm. But they are racist all the same. White people often don‘t want to know why that is.

Alice Hasters explains it anyway. She describes powerfully yet patiently how racism shapes her everyday life as a black woman in Germany. She makes it clear that racism is not just a problem on the right-wing fringe of society. And confronting one‘s own racism is painful at first, but the only way to overcome it.

The new right-wing nationalism is now well established in the political field and has successfully occupied the social question. Leftwing...

The new right-wing nationalism is now well established in the political field and has successfully occupied the social question. Leftwing forces seem to be powerless in the face of this. Not only do the genuinely socially disadvantaged seem to be running away from them, but the left has not yet managed to organise the kind of sounding box they need to help develop a political orientation.”Contradiction 69” discusses if and how the left needs to regain collective identities in order to address social questions again from the left. The essays and articles attempt to reveal approaches and problems in rethinking a leftwing “we“ in view of the delicate situation.

Paintings are taken down from the walls, sculptures destroyed, film heroes erased: a mighty cultural conflict is spreading through museums,...

Paintings are taken down from the walls, sculptures destroyed, film heroes erased: a mighty cultural conflict is spreading through museums, cinemas and theatres. Does it threaten the end of artistic freedom, as some believe? Is that censorship from below? Or is it about time, as others believe, that the culture world follows the Me Too movement and demands more parity? Hanno Rauterberg reveals what is hidden behind the debate on morality and aesthetics: What is so threatening about images? Is political correctness endangering the autonomy of the artist? And why is the quarrel about such issues taking place at this moment in history? An essay on the most important debate affecting art for a long time, which reveals a lot about the crisis of liberalism and the new taboos of a changing society.

”Dear Sir, Dear Madam, Dear Diverse“? What words can you use for texts, formulars, messages and conversations to ensure that...

”Dear Sir, Dear Madam, Dear Diverse“? What words can you use for texts, formulars, messages and conversations to ensure that people who do not see themselves as women or men also feel included? What expressions exist, either written or verbal, for genderneutral greetings and salutations? How can formulars, invoices, cover letters and general everyday communication be designed without discriminating? How is it possible to name relationships without repeatedly invoking gender? These questions and many more are answered with specific wording suggestions, and illustrated with numerous examples. This guide helps formulation in German in 100 different everyday and professional situations – as a small reference book and as a perpetual source of inspiration, or for reflection and discussion with others.

Since the violent death of George Floyd in Minneapolis in 2020, Germany too has seen open, controversial and heated debates...

Since the violent death of George Floyd in Minneapolis in 2020, Germany too has seen open, controversial and heated debates surrounding racism. How does racism work, whom does it serve and to what end? This book provides an overview of the concept, the history and the present of this formative, hostile ideology of power. Recent developments and discourses are examined and catalogued. How do you define racism, when did it originate, how has it changed up till today? How can you tell if an action or statement is racist? What is the difference between structural and institutional racism – and why do we need to know? How is racism perceived by those it affects? What responsibilities do educational institutions have?

Racism has no place in my family – almost all parents agree on that. But how do you actively tackle...

Racism has no place in my family – almost all parents agree on that. But how do you actively tackle prejudices while raising children, or prevent them from arising in the first place? With plenty of background information, examples and checklists, Olaolu Fajembola and Tebogo Nimindé Dundadengar help us recognise and overcome the pitfalls. Which words are hurtful? What symbolism is hidden in children‘s songs, books and games? As a white person myself, where am I being racist, even if I don‘t intend to be? As a black, indigenous or other person of colour, how can I protect and encourage my child? Whether in the family, the daycare centre or in school, this book – open, personal, and engaging – shows how much children and adults benefit from a diversitysensitive education that is critical of racism. It strengthens cohesion, fosters creativity and allows children to start their lives more fearlessly and open-mindedly.