Uploaded July 2017 | Updated September 2026, 6 hours ago
From Colorblindness to White Nationalism?: Emerging Racial Formations in the Trump Era
MARCH 3, 2017 Symposium, Panel 4
Alongside the (re)emergence of a vocal white, masculinist nationalism, we are also witnessing the rise of widespread resistance to this articulation of the nation-state. Social movements that emerged in the wake of the 2016 election and those that have existed prior are reassessing strategies towards, and their conception of, racial and social justice. In this panel, we will explore the formation of new political configurations and the response of existing social movements. Is it necessary for social movements to reimagine themselves in light of emergent threats, or does this moment simply continue long-standing power structures, racial and otherwise? How do we conceptualize effective and inclusive resistance, with the simultaneous move towards a prioritization of intersectional analysis and the centering of the most vulnerable and marginalized populations as well as a backlash against “identity politics” and its perceived potential for divisiveness? What is the role of lawyers and the legal community in creating social change in this environment? What legal strategies need to be deployed considering the administration’s posturing vis-á-vis the judiciary? And given the multiple fronts on which resistance efforts are being fought, how can social movements remain sustainable and impactful over the long-term?
From Colorblindness to White Nationalism?: Emerging Racial Formations in the Trump Era
MARCH 3, 2017 Symposium, Panel 4
Alongside the (re)emergence of a vocal white, masculinist nationalism, we are also witnessing the rise of widespread resistance to this articulation of the nation-state. Social movements that emerged in the wake of the 2016 election and those that have existed prior are reassessing strategies towards, and their conception of, racial and social justice. In this panel, we will explore the formation of new political configurations and the response of existing social movements. Is it necessary for social movements to reimagine themselves in light of emergent threats, or does this moment simply continue long-standing power structures, racial and otherwise? How do we conceptualize effective and inclusive resistance, with the simultaneous move towards a prioritization of intersectional analysis and the centering of the most vulnerable and marginalized populations as well as a backlash against “identity politics” and its perceived potential for divisiveness? What is the role of lawyers and the legal community in creating social change in this environment? What legal strategies need to be deployed considering the administration’s posturing vis-á-vis the judiciary? And given the multiple fronts on which resistance efforts are being fought, how can social movements remain sustainable and impactful over the long-term?
