Amitav Acharya examines the critical part that racism and race have played in creating the current world order in his article. According to Acharya, the establishment and dynamics of the modern world order have been significantly influenced by the historical legacies of race-based ideologies and discriminatory practices. He emphasizes how racial hierarchies and discriminatory practices have influenced international relations by analyzing the effects of European imperialism and colonialism. This critical review aims to examine Acharya’s arguments, assess the foundation of his claims using academic research, consider alternative viewpoints from other scholars, and evaluate the validity of his justifications and the supporting data. We hope to thoroughly understand the nuances of race and racism in creating the current world order through this review.
Amitav Acharya makes a strong case for the importance of race and racism in creating the current world order in his article “Race and Racism in the Founding of the Modern World Order” (2022). According to Acharya, the development of the current world order has been significantly influenced by race-based ideologies and practices, with historical occurrences and policies shaped by racial considerations in international relations.
According to Acharya, the colonial era and the imperial aspirations of European powers are where modern racism first emerged. He contends that colonization by Europeans included racial hierarchy establishment and maintenance in addition to resource exploitation. The establishment of the current world order was significantly influenced by the racial ideologies that European colonial powers imposed. Examining pertinent terms and theories from international relations studies is crucial to assessing Acharya’s argument’s theoretical foundation. The importance of violence and the state in influencing international relations is emphasized in Colin Wight’s work on rethinking terrorism (Wight, 2015). Wight’s viewpoint offers insights into the power dynamics and historical context that influenced the establishment of the current world order, even though it is not explicitly focused on race and racism.
The Rise of China and the Future of the West: Can the Liberal System Survive? by John G. Ikenberry (2008) provides essential insights into the shifting dynamics of power in the global system. Ikenberry’s analysis considers the potential threats to the current international system, giving readers a broader context to understand how race and racism affect international affairs. Ikenberry emphasizes the intricate interactions between various actors and ideologies within the global system by focusing on the rise of China.
The work on realism by Michele Chiaruzzi offers additional theoretical vantage points for examining Acharya’s contention. Power struggles and state interests are the main topics of authenticity, the dominant theory in international relations. According to Chiaruzzi (2012), realist theories frequently prioritize state-centric explanations of international relations while neglecting the effects of racism and racial inequality. We can examine how race and racism may have been marginalized in conventional methods of comprehending the current world order by considering this critique.
Returning to Acharya’s arguments, he backs them up with examples of historical occurrences and decisions influenced by racial factors. He discusses, for instance, how racial hierarchy was established during colonial rule and how racialized ideologies were used to justify the exploitation of indigenous peoples (Acharya, 2022). Acharya’s use of concrete examples, such as adopting racialized laws and practices, strengthens his case by illuminating race’s role in creating the current world order.
Although Acharya’s analysis offers insightful information, it’s critical to be aware of any mistakes or shortcomings. One possible oversight is the narrow focus on non-European perspectives and actors in creating the modern world order. Acharya’s argument may minimize other regions’ and civilizations’ agency and contributions in influencing world affairs by focusing primarily on European imperialism.
Anievas et al.’s (2015) book provide a broader perspective on how race and racism have impacted international relations outside the European context to address this oversight. They emphasize how racial hierarchies are interconnected globally and promote confronting racism and colonialism’s legacies in current world politics. Additionally, the book by Anievas et al. (2015) contributes to our understanding of racism and race in international relations. The inadequacy of conventional economic theories in addressing race and racism is also highlighted in Tim Koechlin’s article, “Whitewashing Capitalism: Mainstream Economics’ Resounding Silence on Race and Racism” (2019). According to Koechlin (2019), mainstream economics frequently ignores capitalism’s racial aspects, resulting in a failure to address the structural inequalities supported by the global economic system. This viewpoint clarifies the flaws in traditional methods of global financial analysis and supports Acharya’s claim that race must be considered to comprehend the current world order.
According to Jerome & Taylor (2005), racism is pervasive throughout many social and political systems because of Einstein’s criticisms of racism and his understanding of the adverse effects of racial discrimination. According to Jerome and Taylor’s book, “Einstein condemned racial discrimination as a social evil that impeded human progress and saw race as a social construct without any biological basis.” This viewpoint emphasizes the importance of considering not only the historical dimensions of race and racism but also the social and cultural factors that shape the modern world order. We can better understand the intricate interactions between race, power, and international dynamics by incorporating diverse voices and viewpoints, like those found in “Einstein on Race and Racism,” into our analysis.
The article “Race and Racism in the Founding of the Modern World Order” by Amitav Acharya, in its conclusion, makes a strong case for the importance of race and racism in creating the current international system. He highlights the effects of colonial-era race-based ideologies and practices on contemporary international relations. Alternative viewpoints from academics like Anievas, Manchanda, Shilliam, and Koechlin offer a more thorough understanding of the complexities of race and racism in the creation of the current world order, even while acknowledging potential shortcomings in the analysis, such as the analysis’s limited focus on non-European perspectives. We can improve our understanding of how race and racism have influenced international affairs by critically analyzing and integrating interdisciplinary research.
Bibliographies
Jerome, Fred, and Rodger Taylor. Einstein on Race and Racism: Einstein on Race and Racism, First Paperback Edition. Rutgers University Press, 2020.
Weight colin. 2015. Rethinking terrorism: terrorism, violence and state. London: Macmillan.
Ikenberry, G. John. “The rise of China and the future of the West-Can the liberal system survive.” Foreign Aff. 87 (2008): 23.
Chiaruzzi, Michele. 2012 “Realism.” In an introduction to international relations, Eds. R. Devetak, A. Burke and J. George, 35-47. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Koechlin, Tim. “Whitewashing capitalism: Mainstream economics’ resounding silence on race and racism.” Review of Radical Political Economics 51, no. 4 (2019): 562-571.https://doi.org/10.1177/0486613419873229.
Anievas, Alexander, Nivi Manchanda, and Robbie Shilliam, eds. Race and racism in international relations: Confronting the global colour line. Routledge, 2014.
Acharya, Amitav. “Race and racism in the founding of the modern world order.” International Affairs 98, no. 1 (2022): 23-43.
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