Why I Started The Equiano Project

Identity politics has failed us – it’s time for better ideas

Identity politics refers to the politicisation of a person’s group identity – their race, gender or sexual orientation. It requires people to not see one another as individuals who happen to be black, a woman or gay for example, but instead to regard a person’s group identity as the determinant of their existence. Instead of your race referring to the colour of your skin, for many, it prescribes a specific set of political beliefs, social attitudes and even has essential characteristics. As a result, the notions of “white privilege”, “white fragility” and “black victimhood” have become increasingly popular in public discourse. However, rather than liberate us from the binds of racial categories, proponents of identity politics seek to institutionalise them. This political ideology has not brought about a more cohesive and tolerant society, but instead, has brought deeper division and social conflict. It’s time for a new narrative on race.

Indeed, today’s most vociferous proponents of identity politics come from the mainstream left, however, historically, identity politics found its most committed advocates in supporters of theories of white racial superiority. But, both forms of identity politics provide far-reaching and significant challenges to Enlightenment ideals of universalism and humanism, the tradition of Martin Luther King.

In reality, whilst appropriating the language of righteousness and justice, identitarians on the left and the right seek to balkanise, break down and destabilise several of the very things our free and open democratic society are built on, the very things that have brought about the profound gains we’ve made towards a fairer society.

Their insistence that racial difference must be institutionalised in the form of quotas, leniency in exams, and “black-only” universities. Their claim that different races can never “truly understand” one another, and that our society is irredeemably and irreconcilably racist. Their assertion that black people are uniquely unable to handle offensive or provocative speech and so ideas must be censored. The demand of companies and employers to train people in “diversity”. Their dealing in the politics of victimhood and grievance, which stores resentment and nihilism for future generations. This is not how we build a tolerant society; this is a recipe for social fragmentation and conflict.

We mustn’t be fooled into thinking that to challenge identity politics is to ignore racism. Racism is a societal scourge that the overwhelming majority of people in Britain oppose and when it occurs, we must be confident and forthright in our challenge of it. However, it is in fact today’s identity politics that is further racialising our society and stripping people of agency, individuality and failing to address social ills. Take the narrative that all racial disparities are caused by racism. Despite this narrative being the dominant explanation for several years now, schemes to tackle racism in education, university, and employment have failed to meaningfully transform the persistent economic racial inequality that exists and has instead, undermined our meritocratic system. It is the assumption that there are easy answers to complex social, cultural and economic phenomena that does most harm to victims of social injustice.

Martin Luther King’s dream of judging by the content of our character, not the colour of skin spoke to a shared vision of humanity, but also emphasised individual actions. This vision significantly contributed to ushering in a new era of progress on race but has since been widely abandoned.

I still believe in that vision, but I believe that it must be rearticulated for the present day. We cannot merely critique identity politics, we must forge a new and better vision which emphasises what unites us whilst honouring and respecting our differences. This can only be done when freedom of speech, free exchange of ideas and the pursuit of truth are at the heart. We cannot solve difficult issues, without having frank, honest and difficult conversations.

This is why I’ve launched The Equiano Project, a debate, discussion and ideas forum, where we seek to facilitate conversations about and promote the values of freedom, humanism and universalism in contrast to the climate of racial tribalism and identitarianism.

Olaudah Equiano was an African-British 18th-century writer and former slave who bought his own freedom and campaigned the abolition of slavery. Equiano’s story exemplifies the struggle for freedom and the demonstration of extraordinary bravery and moral fortitude, even in the face of profound adversity. It shows us that even with extreme societal constraints, there are always choices and that people can take responsibility for their lives, families and communities and lead the way to a better future.

Identity politics seeks to politicise the past and weaponise it to ferment division in the present day. However, the story of Equiano provides the roadmap for how we can both study the past and use it to reflect on how we can move forward and build a more positive world. This is the vision that The Equiano Project will champion.

Inaya Folarin Iman, Founder of The Equiano Project