ABSTRACT
This chapter argues that a key purpose of research in this field is to challenge racism and contribute to effective anti-racist strategies. An important consequence of the identification of cultural racism was the impact on anti-racist strategies. During the 1970s and 1980s emphasis on opposing White racism through a collective Black identity discouraged discussion of cultural differences within the Black population. While the analytical concern to avoid essentialism remains, for the purposes of policy development and implementation it is important to acknowledge that not all ethnic and cultural representations essentialise in the same way. Despite the persistence of religion as a component of identity, the degree of adherence to faith is likely to vary and cannot be ascertained through consideration of religious texts, the proclamations of religious leaders, or theoretical reflection. This chapter also presents the overview of the key concepts discussed in book.
