How do we tackle racism, particularly anti-black racism, in the Arab region? A good place to start would be to understand its multiple layers. There is the visible and often shocking part of the iceberg. The migrants and refugees are denied basic rights, shackled by kafala laws, and increasingly policed on behalf of a European continent that is closing its borders. But there are also the “blacks” within. The part of the national fabric that has been invisible for too long – often victims of class contempt, discrimination, and a forged national identity that tried to erase and homogenize the pluralism of our societies.

As part of ARI’s commitment to fighting discrimination in the region, we have put together a body of work on anti-Black racism in MENA with a particular focus on those initiatives and activists who have mobilized for visibility and equal rights.

Click on the cards below to read the quoted publications

Mobilizing against Anti-black Racism in MENA: A Reader

We are also compiling this reader list to draw attention to key academic and artistic works (in English, French and Arabic), but also to bring and keep the issues of anti-black racism at the forefront of public debates and actions.
This list – although not exhaustive – presents works chronicling the history of Black communities in MENA, Afro-Arab experiences, and anti-Blackness in the region. We aim to regularly update it to highlight new authors and works.

If you would like to suggest additional reading material, send a link with a description to ari-communications(at)arab-reform.net