Lesson Starter

What will I learn? • Identify the different ethnic groups which

exist in the UK.

• Describe the extent to which racism exists in the UK today.

Success Criteria I can…

• Identify the different ethnic groups which exist in the UK by tasking notes on who they are and their numbers in the population.

• Describe the extent to which racism exists in the UK today by examining various case studies.

Ethnicity in the UK•A person’s ethnicity is usually understood to mean a group of people who have a common identity or heritage.

•Here is the ethnic make up of firstly England and Wales and then Scotland.

•England and Wales Census 2011•White ethnic group - 86%.•80% in England and Wales are white British• Other ethnic groups in England and Wales: •Asian (Pakistani, Indian, Bangladeshi, other) 6.8% (2001: 4.4%), •Black 3.4% (2001: 2.2%)•Chinese 0.7% (2001: 0.4%)•Arab 0.4% (2001: not listed), •other 0.6% (2001: 0.4%).

Ethnicity in the UK•A person’s ethnicity is usually understood to mean a group of people who have a common identity or heritage.

•Scottish Census 2011

2011% of Total Population

% of Minority Ethnic

Population(rounded estimate)

Base

African 0.6 14 30,000

Asian/Asian Scottish/Asian

British2.7 67 141,000

Caribbean or Black

0.1 3 7,000

Mixed/Multiple ethnic groups

0.4 9 20,000

Other ethnic group

0.3 7 14,000

White 96.0 n/a 5,084,000

Background •For centuries people from other countries have settled in Britain either to escape political or religious oppression or in search of better economic opportunities.•In the 1950s and 1960s staff shortages in public services such as transport and the NHS led to advertising campaigns in parts of the British Commonwealth.•Black people, for example, from the West Indies came to settle mainly in London. More than half of this group are now born in Britain.

Background •When the UK joined the EU in 1973 immigrants from Europe increased. It has increased considerably now that so many East European countries are members.•There are approx. 55,000 Poles in Scotland. Many commentators have said that Polish is the second language to English in the UK.•Asylum seekers•Asylum means people asking permission to come to a country to escape persecution.•All countries, including the UK have traditionally accepted genuine refugees.•Some UK politicians would argue that asylum seekers are wanting entry to the UK for economic reasons (to improve their living standards) instead of more political factors.•Many ethnic groups and asylum seekers face racism on a daily basis.

The extent to which racism exists in the UK today

•Racism is a fact of life in Scotland and the UK.•Direct racism – This is where someone is treated unfairly on the basis of their ethnic origin. This can range from discrimination in employment, to racial harassment, to racial attacks and murder.•Indirect racism – This occurs where an employer makes a requirement e.g. a dress code, which indirectly discriminates against one group e.g. those who wear a turban.

The extent to which racism exists in the UK today

Institutional racism – The collective failure of an organisation to provide an appropriate and professional service to people because of their colour, culture, or ethnic origin. It can be seen or detected in processes, attitudes and behaviour which amount to discrimination through unwitting prejudice, ignorance, thoughtlessness and racist stereotyping which disadvantage minority ethnic people.

Islamophobia – A hatred or fear of Islam or Muslims, especially as a political force. This type of racism refers to prejudice against Islam or Muslims in light of 9/11 and 7/7 bombings.

The extent to which racism exists in the UK today

•Race and Education – Although there are many students from minority ethnic groups who do well in school and higher education (e.g. Indians), there are clear inequalities in education. For some ethnic minority groups, such as Pakistanis and Black Africans/Caribbeans, the educational qualifications are consistently below average with fewer going to college and university.

•Race and Employment – People from ethnic minority groups can be found in all areas of employment. However, people from minority ethnic groups are more likely to be unemployed or poorly paid. Some commentators claim there is a “glass door” (similar to the “glass ceiling”) which prevents those from minority ethnic groups achieving their full potential.

Institutional racism – Manchester Met Police• In 2003, the BBC screened the controversial

documentary The Secret Policeman, in which undercover reporter Mark Daly revealed racism amongst police recruits in Manchester.

• Graphic images of police officers engaged in racist behaviour - filmed by undercover BBC reporter Mark Daly - caused a huge public outcry.

• The film was commissioned by the BBC in the aftermath of the MacPherson report into the police investigation of the 1993 murder of black teenager Stephen Lawrence.

• Published in 1999, the MacPherson report concluded that the Metropolitan police force was "institutionally racist".

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GlegfH33SPg

Institutional racism – Manchester Met Police

• What follows is the follow up to the original Secret Policeman documentary.

• As you watch take notes on what you see.

The extent to which racism exists in the UK today

•On the next few slides there are details of some of the examples of high profile racial attacks in the UK. As your teacher reads through these with you, take summary notes from what you hear.

The extent to which racism exists in the UK today – Stephen Lawrence Case

•On 22 April 1993, Stephen Lawrence and his friend Duwayne Brooks were on their way home when they were attacked by a gang in Eltham, south east London. Stephen was stabbed twice but managed to run more than 100 yards before collapsing and bleeding to death.•Stephen’s murder has come to represent much more than one incident of tragic brutality by a racist gang. In the last twenty years the Metropolitan Police has been widely accused of institutional racism, and failing to investigate the murder thoroughly.•The Lawrence family launched a private prosecution against 3 of the prime suspects. That trial began in 1996, but collapsed shortly after, and all were acquitted.

The extent to which racism exists in the UK today – Stephen Lawrence Case

•Following a judicial inquiry the Macpherson report in 1999 concluded that Stephen had been failed by a police force infected with ‘institutional racism’, and made 70 recommendations, including a change in the law meaning people can be prosecuted twice for the same crime if new evidence comes to light.•This eventually led to the conviction of Gary Dobson and David Norris for Stephen's murder at the Old Bailey in January 2012 after microscopic amounts of Stephen’s DNA and fibres from his clothing were found on the defendants’ clothing. Dobson and Norris were both given life sentences.

The extent to which racism exists in the UK today – MacPherson Report

• The report recommends a series of measures that would subject the police to greater public control, enshrine rights for victims of crime and extend the number of offences classified as racist.

• Freedom of information and race relations legislation will also apply to the police. The 70 recommendations include:

• Government inspectors will have "full and unfettered powers" to inspect police services.

• An investigation into the Metropolitan Police will begin immediately, with particular emphasis on unsolved murders and the handling of racist incidents.

The extent to which racism exists in the UK today – Melo Case

•Angolan-born singer Melo, who is homeless, was talking to a cameraman in Glasgow city centre for the BBC Scotland film The Street when he was approached by a former nightclub bouncer who branded him a ‘black b******’.•Francis Muir was filmed racially abusing the busker, claiming he is ‘milking our country for thousands’, while he himself pays ‘hundreds of pounds [in taxes] to keep you in the f****** country’.•As Muir, originally from Kirkcaldy, continued his tirade, a companion in a blue shirt tried to attack Melo, who managed to resist before passers-by and later the police intervened.

The extent to which racism exists in the UK today – Melo Case

•Muir was convicted of racially-aggravated assault over the incident, which took place in Sauchiehall St in 2012, and jailed for a total of ten months after also being found guilty of a separate incident involving abuse of an Asian police officer while out on bail.•MSP Graeme Pearson, Labour’s shadow justice secretary, told the Daily Record the incident was ‘symptomatic of a culture we need to tackle, in terms of racism and sectarianism – although at least those responsible in this instance were arrested’.•‘We need to come to terms with what is happening on our streets and change it,’ he added.

The extent to which racism exists in the UK today – Melo Case

http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/racist-thug-whose-shameful-attack-3154014 - details of conviction

The extent to which racism exists in the UK today – Case Study - Northern Ireland

There have been a number of racist attacks concentrated in the Greater Belfast area, since the start of 2014. These include:• January 2014: four vehicles were burned out across North Belfast with Slovakian, Afghan and Polish families targeted by arsonists. In two cases households were forced to flee in order to protect their children.• March 2014: a Polish family living on the Rathcoole estate on the northern outskirts of Belfast were terrorised out of their home by a loyalist gang who broke their windows and used a pipe bomb to destroy a car beside the property.

The extent to which racism exists in the UK today –Case

• May 2014: a Romanian cyclist has excrement thrown at him while travelling along Newtownards Road in east Belfast. In the same area a Jamaican family in the north of the city are attacked.

• June 2014: Two Pakistani men flee their home in north Belfast after first their windows were smashed and later the following day, the pair were physically attacked outside the property.

• If you want to know more about this section, go online and access the article on Racial Inequality on Modernity Scotland.

• http://www.modernityscotland.co.uk/cfe-social-inequality/521-article-4

Want to know more?

Task…

• Write a short paragraph about the extent of racism in Scotland/Britain today. Include:

1.Examples of racist incidents.2.The extent of racism (in your opinion).3.Your thoughts about the types of racism

that exist and the reasons for racist incidents increasing recently.

I can…

• Identify the different ethnic groups which exist in the UK by taking notes on who they are and their numbers in the population.

• Describe the extent to which racism exists in the UK today by examining various case studies.