Race, Class, and Nationalism in the Twenty-First-Century Caribbean

Rooted in the political philosophy of C.L.R. James, the contributions to this volume engage the enduring Caribbean echoes of the original sins of European colonialism right into the twenty-first century. Dependent capitalism, slavery, and other forms of forced labour, class exploitation and racism still define the daily realities for millions. What has changed, however, are the vacuous claims of sovereignty and independence that are today enunciated by local politicians and spokespersons, who have replaced their now-departed colonial masters. Cloaked in the garb of ‘blackness,’ bourgeois ethnic and cultural nationalisms now serve to mask the sufferers’ struggle for genuine freedom. Indeed, plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose. Or, as Scott Timcke has quoted C.L.R. James as saying, 'The fundamentals have not changed.'

* author of Sociology and the Periphery: Theories and Issues *

This dynamic collection shows the continued relevance of critical approaches to advance Caribbean scholarship.

The book helps us understand the nuances of persistent elements of colonialism in the politics and lived experiences of Caribbean peoples. It speaks of resistance and resilience to racial, class, and gender oppression through struggles for agency, transformation, and freedom.

* author of Poverty Is a Person: Human Agency, Women and Caribbean Households *

This volume brings together an impressive array of country case studies, themes, and disciplinary perspectives to challenge the ground on which Caribbean nationalism is based. Together the chapters work to show how nationalism has submerged critical inequalities in class, race, and gender, and why confronting these absences is necessary to construct a future based on genuine freedom and self-determination.

* author of Regional Integration in the Caribbean: A Critical Development Approa