Chapter 1. Antiracist and racist discourse as antagonistic and overlapping

Abstract

This editorial presents the theoretical background underpinning all the chapters of the volume, which are part of a research project aiming at identifying the ways racist discourse infiltrates antiracist discourse. More specifically, it elaborates on the concepts of discourse, racist discourse, and antiracist discourse, as well as on previous research exploring the fuzzy boundaries between racist and antiracist discourse, which originate in the hegemony of racist discourse and further normalize it. Emphasis is placed on the concept of liquid racism capturing the co-occurrence of both discourses in the same (con)texts. After a brief overview of the chapters of the volume and their contribution to the analysis of liquid racism, the editorial is concluded with some critical reflections on the concept of liquid racism and anti/racist intentions.