Anti-Racism

Anti-racist knowledge is essential wherever people meet, study and work. Here you will find events, definitions of terms, previous research at ETH and external resources on anti-racism and critical discussion of racism.

Events from ETH Diversity

During the ‘Week against Racism’ (18-22 March), ETH Diversity posted on external page LinkedIn. Many different racism-critical explanations of terms, contact points, podcast and exhibition tips and more were featured.

At an event to mark the day against sexual harassment at Swiss universities (25 April), it was shown how sexual harassment is intersectionally linked to abuse of power and discrimination such as racism.

Black History Month (October)

Various events were organised at ETH to mark Black History Month in October. In addition to its origins in the US, October or February has also been declared Black History Month in various European countries to celebrate the ongoing achievements and contributions of Black people around the world. It is also a time to fight racism and ensure that Black history is represented and celebrated throughout the year.

(26.10.22) "Spaces that were not meant for me" - Exclusionary, racialised spaces in Switzerland (EN) 

Social scientist Danielle Isler shares her expertise on inclusion in academia. In the public lecture on ‘Whitened Spaces and Institutions’, she explains how such spaces are constructed and maintained, how they create exclusions and what can be done about them.

(01.11.22)  "How could I have behaved?" - Allyship workshop (EN)

Online workshop with Danielle Isler for ETH members who are not affected by racism themselves and want to act as allies against racism. We will discuss and analyse how, where and when allies can get involved and reflect on our own identity and behaviour.

(02.11.22) "If I had known that..." - Empowerment workshop (EN) 

This online workshop is about the empowerment of BIPoC. In a space of compassion, all participants should be heard, can question internalised, harmful beliefs and courageously unlearn. Knowledge can create change, self-confidence and empowerment.

Various projects and research at ETH Zurich on decolonisation and the critique of racism

Interview on decolonisation in architecture with Mariam Issoufou, Studio Atavism - Architecture Heritage and Sustainability Chair, D-ARCH ETH Zurich.

Journal-Article (DE) ‘Exhibiting Othering. Racialised space formation at major exhibitions’ by Regine Hess (2023)

external page Report by ETH Zurich: (DE) ‘Zurich M-fantasies: A historical and conceptual interpretation, ca. 1400-2022’

external page Report on conference at ETH Zürich 'Decolonizing Curricula, Pluralizing Teaching and Research – Postcolonial Perspectives on Universities in the 21st Century'.

external page Article on SRF about Tomàs Bartoletti's research on Switzerland, research and colonialism.

external page Website from Stop Hate Speech on the research project on countering (racist) hate speech.

external page Study on discrimination when looking for a job: Monitoring hiring discrimination through online recruitment platforms (2021)  

Important Terms

Allyship is active engagement on behalf of an oppressed group. The term ally refers to people who use their privileges to support groups that are structurally oppressed. Allies do not themselves belong to this specific group and are therefore not (directly) affected by the specific oppression.

BIPoC is an acronym that stands for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color. The term PoC is the self-designation of people who experience racism. The term also aims to unite different groups affected by racism in order to pool anti-racist forces. However, not all people affected by racism identify as PoC.

It has been scientifically proven that the concept of ‘race’ does not make sense or exist from a biological perspective, but is a social construct that was invented around 1400 by people in Western Europe to describe people and place them in a social order. The category ‘white’ has always been associated with superiority. Although there is no biological basis for race, people are still racialised and categorised based on characteristics such as skin colour, facial features, religion, etc. Racism is the structural, institutional, interpersonal and internalised discrimination of racialised people.

White - like Black or Indigenous - refers to a variant of the social construct of race and is often associated with privilege and seen as the norm.

Resources

Below you will find interesting books, links to social media and podcasts in English, German and French. The resource list was compiled by C. Mignan, supplemented by ETH Diversity.

exit RACISM

?exit RACISM – rassismuskritisch denken lernen? 

Author: Tupoka Ogette

Was weisse Menschen nicht über Rassismus hören wollen, aber wissen sollten

?Was weisse Menschen nicht über Rassismus h?ren wollen, aber wissen sollten?

Author: Alice Hasters

Postkoloniale Schweiz - Formen und Folgen eines Kolonialismus ohne Kolonien

Postkoloniale Schweiz - Formen und Folgen eines Kolonialismus ohne Kolonien

Authors: Patricia Purtschert, Barbara Lüthi & Francesca Falk

Kolonialität und Geschlecht im 20. Jahrhundert - Eine Geschichte der weißen Schweiz

Kolonialit?t und Geschlecht im 20. Jahrhundert - Eine Geschichte der wei?en Schweiz

Author: Patricia Purtschert

Racial Profiling - Struktureller Rassismus und antirassistischer Widerstand

Racial Profiling - Struktureller Rassismus und antirassistischer Widerstand

Authors: Mohamed Wa Baile, Serena O. Dankwa, Tarek Naguib, Patricia Purtschert, Sarah Schilliger

Rassismus. Strukturelle Probleme brauchen strukturelle Lösungen!

Rassismus. Strukturelle Probleme brauchen strukturelle L?sungen!

Author: Natasha A. Kelly

Deutschland Schwarz-Weiss

Deutschland Schwarz-Weiss

Author: Noah Sow

Wie Rassismus aus Wörtern spricht - (K)Erben des Kolonialismus im Wissensarchiv deutsche Sprache. Ein kritisches Nachschlagewerk

Wie Rassismus aus W?rtern spricht - (K)Erben des Kolonialismus im Wissensarchiv deutsche Sprache. Ein kritisches Nachschlagewerk

Author: Susan Arndt, Nadja Ofuatey-Alazard

White Fragility – Why It’s So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism

White Fragility – Why It’s So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism

Author: Robin J. DiAngelo

Why I'm No longer Talking with White People about Race

Why I'm No longer Talking to White People about Race

Author: Reni Eddo-Lodge

How to Be an Anti-Racist

How to Be an Anti-Racist

Author: Ibram X.Kendi

Me and White Supremacy

Me and White Supremacy –Combat Racism, Change the World, and Become a Good Ancestor

Author: Layla Saad

So You Want to Talk About Race

So You Want to Talk About Race

Author: Ijeoma Oluo

The Black Friend: On Being a Better White Person

The Black Friend: On Being a Better White Person

Author: Frederick Joseph

Antagonists, Advocates and Allies: The Wake-Up Call Guide for White Women Who Want to Become Allies With Black Women

Antagonists, Advocates and Allies: The Wake-Up Call Guide for White Women Who Want to Become Allies With Black Women

Author: Catrice M. Jackson

Racisme: mode d’emploi

Racisme: mode d’emploi

Author: Rokhaya Diallo

La pensée blanche

La pensée blanche

Author: Lilian Thuram

Petit Manuel Antiraciste et Féministe

Petit Manuel Antiraciste et Féministe

Author: Djamila Ribeiro

La mécanique raciste

La mécanique raciste

Authors: Pierre Tévanian, Sa?d Bouamama

external page Online-Glossary from external page No to Racism (DE)
With this glossary, the authors want to find respectful terms to be able to talk about racism and experiences of racism. The glossary is intended to help us find a racism-sensitive language. The glossary will also be updated on an ongoing basis.

external page Online-Glossary from external page histnoire 'Resistance. On dealing with racism in Bern’, co-authored by Jovita dos Santos Pinto and Emanuel Haab

Tupoka Ogette (external page tupoka.o): Trainerin und Beraterin für Rassismuskritik
Focus: Bildungsinhalt für antirassistische Verbündete

 

Josephine Apraku (external page josephine.apraku): Mitgru?nderin des @idb.berlin
Focus: Bildungsinhalt zu Antirassissmus

 

Vo da. (external page mirsindvoda): Kollektiv für die Benennung von Diskriminierung & Rassismus in der Schweiz
Focus: Bildungsinhalt für antirassistische Verbündete; ?ffentlichkeitsarbeit

 

Verein Diversum (external page verein.diversum): Austausch von Menschen die Rassismuserfahrungen machen.
Focus: Bildungsinhalt für antirassistische Verbündete

 

Linke PoC (external page linkepoc): Migrantifa. Selbst-organisierter Antirassismus aus der Schweiz
Focus: Intersektionaler Bildungsinhalt bzgl. Rassismus & weitere Diskriminierungen

 

Decolonize Zurich (external page decolonizezurich): Aktionsgruppe, zum Nachdenken über die koloniale Schweiz und zum dekolonialen Handeln
Focus: Postkolonialismus in der Schweiz

 

Bewegte Texte (external page bewegte_texte): mobile anti-rassistische / intersektionale Bibliothek
Focus: Empfehlungen für anti-rassistische Literatur

 

IseeRacism: 
Focus
(external page iseeracism): Teilen von Rassismuserfahrungen

 

Chasnuemghoere (external page chasnuemghoere): Was Betroffene von Diskriminierung und Rassismus in der Schweiz im Alltag von ihren Mitmenschen zu h?ren bekommen
Focus: Teilen von Rassismuserfahrungen

 

redefineracism (redefineracism): 
Focus: Teilen von Rassismuserfahrungen

From Privilege to Progress (external page privtoprog)
Focus: Sharing of anti-racism content and education for allies

 

browngirlreader (external page browngirlreader)
Focus: Sharing of anti-racism content and social justice book recommendations

 

Askapoc (external page askapoc)
Focus: Space for white persons to ask questions to a community of Black and Indigenous, People of Color (BIPoC)

 

White Homework (external page whitehomework): For everybody asking, “But what can I DO about racism?!”
Focus: Anti-racism education for allies

 

Catriceology (external page catriceology): Catrice M Jackson, International Racial Justice Educator & Author
Focus: Anti-racism education for allies

 

The Conscious Kid (external page theconsciouskid): Parenting and Education through a Critical Race Lens
Focus: Sharing of anti-racism content and diverse children book recommendations

 

Kaliandkalkli (external page kaliandkalki): Sangeetha Thanapal - Writer | Educator | Activist | Anti-Racism Expert
Focus: Anti-racism content and education on fatphobia

 

NO WHITE SAVIORS (external page nowhitesaviors): Education/advocacy/action
Focus: Anti-racism content from an African perspective

 

Marie Beecham (external page mariebeech): anti-racism educator
Focus: Anti-racism content and education

Collectif pour la mémoire NE (external page coll.memoire.ne): collectif anti-raciste en Suisse romande
Focus: Education sur l’histoire coloniale de la Suisse

 

Mrs Roots (external page mrsrootsbooks): Autrice, bloggeuse afroféministe
Focus: Contenu anti-raciste et recommandation de livres jeunesses représentant la diversité

 

Décolonisons Nous (external page decolonisonsnous): Déconstruire l’héritage postcolonial de l’inconscient collectictif et anti-racisme politique
Focus: Contenu anti-raciste avec focus sur les médias fran?ais

 

Sans Blanc de Rien (external page sansblancderien): Compte du podcast belge du même nom, projet de lutte contre le racisme, les préjugés, et les stéréotypes raciaux.
Focus: Sensibilisation sur l’antiracisme et la blanchité

 

Change Tes Héros (external page change.tes.heros): La face cachéee de tes personnages historiques préférés
Focus: Sensibilisation sur des propos racistes, sexistes, antisémite et discriminant en autre forme de personnages historiques

 

Je Ne Suis Pas Raciste Mais (external page jenesuis_pasraciste_mais): Témoignages de personnes subissant le racisme
Focus: Sensibilisation sur le racisme ordinaire

 

Kiffe ta race (external page kiffetarace): Compte du podcast fran?ais qui explore les questions raciales
Focus: Sensibilisation sur l’antiracisme

In German:

? external page Berner Rassismus Stammtisch, Austauschplattform eines transdisziplin?ren Schweizer Kollektivs zur antirasssistischen Bildung
? external page Tupoka Ogette, Trainerin und Beraterin im Bereich Rassismuskritik, Antirassismus

In English:

? external page Ally Henny, Writer and Speaker of race and anti-racism
external page Unlearning Racism (private group, access will only be provided after answering a couple of questions

In German:

? external page Alice Hasters, Anti-Rassismus Autorin
? external page Abu_Internet, Fokus auf Anti-Rassismus Inhalt
? external page Aminata Touré, Deutsche Abgeordnete bei den Grünen, Fokus: Anti-Rassismus, Migration, Frauenrechte, LGBTQ+
? external page Belinda Grasnick, Journalistin schreibt über Migration und Rassismus
? external page Quarant?ne Quattromilf, Fokus auf Anti-Rassismus Inhalt: 
? external page Th? Minh Huy?n Nguy?n, Fokus auf Anti-Rassismus
? external page Th?y-Tiên Nguy?n, Anti-Rassismus Kursleiterin
? external page Asian German WoC, Fokus auf Anti-Rassismus
? external page Chicquie5, Fokus auf Anti-Rassismus
? external page Chanti, Fokus auf Anti-Rassismus
? external page Abu_Aristophano, Fokus auf Anti-Rassismus

 

In English:

? external page Reni Eddo-Lodge, anti-racism author
? external page The Justice Collective, consultancy for racial and social equity
? external page Brea Banks, researcher in microgaggressions
? external page Saeed Jones, author writes about race and gender
? external page Blue Haired Unicorn, consultant for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in organizations
? external page Brittney Cooper, authoress writes about race and gender: 
? external page Equal Justice Initiative, works to end mass incarceration and racial inequality 

 

In French:

? external page Kiffe ta race, compte twitter du podcast
? external page Rokhaya Diallo, autrice, journaliste et réalisatrice engagée contre le racisme, le sexisme
? external page Grace Ly, écrivaine, réalisatrice engagée contre le racisme, le sexisme
? external page Collectif Asiatique Antiraciste, collectif contre le racisme systémique et institutionnel
? external page Nassira El Moaddem, journaliste, aturice, présentatrice engage contre le racisme et la violence policière
? external page Fatima Ouassak, autrice et activiste anti-raciste

Book

Empowerment as an educational task - practical knowledge for dealing with experiences of racism by Nkechi Madubuko
Focus: Adults who want to support children who have experienced racism.

 

Video

external page Wie spreche ich mit Kindern über Rassismus? (DE)
Focus: Parents who want to talk to children about racism

 

Blog post and podcast episode

external page Soll ich mit meinem Kind über Rassismus sprechen? (DE)
Focus: Parents who want to talk to children about racism

 

Readings

external page How to raise anti-racist kids
Focus: Collection of resources for anti-racist education 

 

Graphic

external page Graphic llustrating the age at which children understand the concepts of race and racism.

external page Lee and Low Books: America’s largest children’s book publisher specializing in diversity. Est. 199
Focus: Diverse children book recommendations

external page hereweread: Diversity & Inclusion Expert I help you find quality diverse books and educational products
Focus: Diverse children book recommendations

external page Books For Diversity
Focus: Diverse children book recommendations

external page We Need Diverse Books: We are a nonprofit organization created to address the lack of diverse narratives in children's lit.
Focus: Diverse children book recommendations

Contact

The ETH Diversity Team is at your service for suggestions and requests.

Binzmühlenstrasse 130
8092 Zürich

What you can do in the event of disrespectful behaviour

We have set out how we practise respect at ETH in the Code of Conduct Respect and in the six social and leadership competences. We do not tolerate discrimination such as racism, harassment, bullying or other behaviour that violates the code at our university. 

Have you experienced or observed inappropriate behaviour yourself? Report it - there are numerous internal and external centres at ETH that can offer you help and advice. All reports are treated confidentially. ETH can only take action and respond to proven offences with consequences under personnel law or disciplinary measures if it learns of misconduct.

 

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