Rock against racism: Multiculturalism and political mobilization, 1976–81

Abstract

This article discusses the Rock Against Racism (RAR) movement in Britain and scrutinizes a number of critical responses to it. In doing so it attempts to clarify the political and cultural basis of the organization and to explore the ethnic boundaries implicit in RAR ‘s strong emphasis on punk rock and reggae music. Such an account demands that we appreciate both the political ideas that motivated RAR ‘s founders and the social and cultural conditions in which they were working. The author therefore rejects the idea that the left's encounter with popular culture operates via a single, authoritative version of Marxist aesthetic and political theory, that has been imposed regardless of circumstances. In response to critics who attribute the relatively insubstantial contribution of Asian musicians to RAR to an implicit anti‐Asian racism on the left, it is argued that they misunderstand the social and cultural dynamics of the milieu from which RAR emerged. In particular, they ignore the role played by the state in demonizing Afro‐Caribbean communities and cultures and the importance of responding to this. Contrary to many commentators, this article concludes that RAR was a politically and culturally sophisticated campaign, which dealt creatively and militantly with racism.

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