ABSTRACT
In 2018, Tunisia adopted the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination Act (or Law 50) to criminalise and penalise acts of racial discrimination in society. The legislation came against the backdrop of the Tunisian revolution of 2010–2011 and its aftermath that raised public hopes for social justice, equality, and dignity, instigating new civil society formations to campaign for racial equality and minority rights. Law 50 was celebrated as first such legislation in the Middle East and North Africa but, in retrospect, it did not result in tangible changes. On the contrary, in the early 2020s, the activists and civil society formations have faced growing challenges to their activities due to the COVID-19 pandemic, political instability, and re-emerging authoritarianism. This chapter examines the emergence of activism by Black Tunisians in the post-revolutionary period. It explores the activists’ efforts before and after the adoption of the Law 50/2018 and their experiences of hope, disillusionment, and perseverance in unstable times. The chapter argues that, despite setbacks, they have gained visibility to the structural racism in society by interrogating the implicit racial hierarchies and by reframing what “being a Tunisian” could mean.
