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A review by booksarebrainfood
Natives: Race and Class in the Ruins of Empire by Akala
5.0
I am blown away! This book is a great reference point for the specifics of racism in the UK which makes it an unmitigated fact for those who deny its existence. It’s also a great introduction into the insidious reach of the British empire and how all of our societal structures have been built on its racist foundation. It also has a bleak look at the post Brexit future for BIPOC in the UK with what Akala describes as the Thatchite privatisation of essential services upon which the working classes of the UK depend for life.
Akala expertly weaves historical fact with personal anecdote, with global perspectives on the consequences of colonialism mixing with stories about his treatment at school in 80’s / 90’s Britain. He demystifies many things such as the comparable treatment of white and black immigrants to the UK , the economic reasons behind the end of apartheid and the abolition of slavery, the deification of Nelson Mandela vs the demonisation of Fidel Castro and the gang violence and police violence in London that impacted his own life.
This book zooms in and out on the british empire with ease, with the streets of London as its epicentre. Akala is an expert speaker and I highly recommend watching interviews with him on YouTube or listening to Natives as an audiobook as he is an adept wordsmith.
Akala expertly weaves historical fact with personal anecdote, with global perspectives on the consequences of colonialism mixing with stories about his treatment at school in 80’s / 90’s Britain. He demystifies many things such as the comparable treatment of white and black immigrants to the UK , the economic reasons behind the end of apartheid and the abolition of slavery, the deification of Nelson Mandela vs the demonisation of Fidel Castro and the gang violence and police violence in London that impacted his own life.
This book zooms in and out on the british empire with ease, with the streets of London as its epicentre. Akala is an expert speaker and I highly recommend watching interviews with him on YouTube or listening to Natives as an audiobook as he is an adept wordsmith.