Racial justice and the limits of law

Abstract: Campaigners for racial justice in England and Wales have often turned to the legal system for help, but the legal system has been something of a double-edged sword.

On the one hand, there is a complex web of legislation that has provided victims of racism with a means for securing redress; but on the other hand, legal processes continue to be marred with the legacy of colonialism.

In this talk, we will use Critical Race Theory to understand the paradoxical relationship between law and the struggle for racial justice, and we will explore how campaigners and lawyers can make better use of the law in the struggle for racial justice.

About the speaker: Bharat Malkani is a Reader in the law department at Cardiff University. His book, ‘Racial Justice and the Limits of Law’, was published in April 2024 by Bristol University Press, and he is currently Deputy Chair of the Independent Oversight and Advisory Panel. The Panel is responsible for scrutinizing the Criminal Justice Board of Wales’ implementation of their Anti-Racism Action Plan.

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