EISA Statement on Racism

The recent killing of George Floyd in the United States brought into sharp relief how racism, in whatever shape or form, remains entrenched in our societies and state institutions across the world. It also showed that this problem requires a strong response. The European International Studies Association (EISA) condemns anti-blackness, racism and state violence, and stands in solidarity with anti-racist movements.

The discipline of International Relations has an important place and, indeed, responsibility to analyse and address the linkages between state formation and racial capitalism, European settler colonialism and racial inequality and to learn from and stand in solidarity with anti-racist and anti-colonial social justice movements.

A meaningful response requires us to not only declare solidarity, but to critically examine the heritage of our discipline, the concepts and methods we use, and the political realities in our own societies and relationships between them. The EISA recognises the tireless effort of existing scholarship, scholars and movements to raise these issues.

The EISA leadership commits to working together with our members towards fostering a productive environment for discussions on issues of exclusion in academia, supporting the participation of underrepresented groups in our events and instituting redressal mechanisms on any complaints of discrimination.