In the week that Universities UK released their report on tackling racial harassment on campus it is worth a reminder that these exercises are useless if the aim is justice. This report followed on from the deeply flawed Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) review last year that equated anti-Welsh prejudice with racism. As per usual, the problem is framed as bad individuals who commit harassment and how to stop them, rather than focussing on the underlying issue of institutional racism. No matter how well-meaning the recommendations sound they cannot deal with the issue because they do not understand it. Take it from someone who has spent the last two decades in the sector: universities are utterly incapable of addressing racism. But this is not a case of bumbling do-gooders trying and failing to make a difference. The cycle of protest, report, recommendation, inaction is a feature of the equalities industrial complex whose sole purpose is to maintain a racist status quo. Wash, rinse, repeat in order to keep up appearances while upholding inequality.
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