An assessment of racial challenges faced by African diasporas in the Czech Republic
Published in Social Sciences
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This study advances the frontiers of scholarship on overarching dynamics of racial discourses by highlighting challenges and prospects from both sides, the African and the Czech governments. Methodologically, the study relied mainly on a qualitative approach with data derived from interviews of African diasporas. The study is especially relevant to policymakers as it provides some seminal lessons on the (mis)handling of the issue of racism. Bigotry is mainly driven by epistemologies of ignorance, which justify white advantage as a legitimate entitlement of the presumed superior white race. The social and political morphology of the Western conception of Africa is one full of negative portrayals of Africans as lumpen, as people with questionable intellectual acumen.
This study has debunked some myths, such as the perception that the Czech system is amenable to candid and open discussion on racism. The official Czech position on the prevalence of racism is one of denial, seemingly suggesting that, ‘there is no racism to talk about’ – a notion that superficially visors the reality on the ground. The study notes that despite the academic credentials and Czech language competencies of African diasporas, there is a pattern that can be generalized to support an inference that racial prejudices are always a factor in how African diasporas are treated. A catalogue of racist incidents highlighted in the study reinforces the view that institutional reform is going to be an important policy imperative if discrimination is ever going to be curbed. Although racism rarely occurs with physical violence, it nevertheless remains a form of violence because it leaves a lasting emotional and psychological impact on victims. Crucially, the study finds that racism is not simply driven by skin colour differences, but also about the economics.
Thus, on the African side, until Africans can do self-introspection on crucial economic and governance gaps internally, the status quo regarding racial profiling, redlining, and discrimination in the Czech Republic and Europe more generally, is likely to persist. African governments and people will need to draw up a new epistemology that will ensure that the continent retains its respected pre-colonial self-sufficiency pedigree by being economic masters of their own destiny. Mainstream views of respondents of this study suggest that it is difficult for Africans to earn respect overseas if they keep trekking to Europe on the basis that their home countries are unable to provide opportunities in education, employment, health care services, and social welfare programs.
From a contextual back ground, it bears emphasising that no European will respect an African coming from a wrecked and corrupt country where human rights abuses are the norm. The African political governance system needs urgent and radical revamping to reduce the incentive for migrations. In this way, going to Europe would become an option rather than as a survival mechanism. If African regimes continue pussyfooting in key economic development areas, they must then be ready for more racist behaviours to keep (re)emerging against their people overseas.
By providing insights into the challenges faced by Africans in the Czech Republic, this study has not only helped to narrow the gap in the literature but has also helped to pique the collective interest of Africans in the imperativeness of local/African economic growth. In this context, rather than mulling over the racial divides experienced in Europe, Africans might see the silver lining and advance themselves and their economies towards self-sustaining local goals that would significantly reduce the incentive for overseas migrations.
Overall, the most vital contribution of this paper is the recognition that dealing with the issue of racism requires proactive and collective efforts from both the Czech government and the African governments.
BRIEF BIOGRAPHY:
Nsama Jonathan Simuziya
*ORCID: https://orcid.org/my-orcid?orcid=0000-0003-0183-1052
*Scopus ID:https://www.scopus.com/authid/detail.uri?authorId=57314814000
*Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=BfGCWj8AAAAJ&hl=en
*Web of Science Researcher ID:https://www.webofscience.com/wos/author/record/IUQ-8312-2023
*LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nsama-jonathan-simuziya-827398347/
I earned my doctoral degree in Political Science (African Studies) from the University of Hradec Králové in the Czech Republic.
I am an Independent Scholar based in the Czech Republic.
I am a resourceful and versatile person with a transdisciplinary research aptitude, and have proactively contributed to the literature and academic research through publications of articles in peer-reviewed journals and teaching.
Further, I am attuned to different cultural and business environments; having worked in three distinct countries, i.e., Zambia, the United Kingdom and the Czech Republic.
ACADEMIC HISTORY:
*Ph.D. Doctor of Philosophy in Political Science - African Studies (University of Hradec Králové, Czech Republic).
*M.A. Master of Arts in Political Theory (Cardiff University, United Kingdom).
*M.Sc. Master of Economic & Social Studies in International Relations (Cardiff University, United Kingdom).
*B.Sc. (Hons). Bachelor of Science with Honours in Politics & International Relations (University of London, United Kingdom).
RESEARCH INTERSTS:
*Human Rights & Good Governance
*Critical Postcolonial Studies
*International Security
*Philosophy of the Social Sciences
*Cultural & Diaspora Studies
*Creative Industry, Media & Marketing
AVAILABILITY:
*Collaborative Projects
*Teaching Opportunities
*Membership of an Advisory Committee
*Speaking Engagements
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