onlincourse

Anti-Racism and Human Rights: Understanding and confronting racism, discrimination and inequality

Learn about the anti-racism movement in the UK and what you can do to champion it in your everyday life, with this online course from Amnesty International.

Duration

3 weeks

Weekly study

1 hour

100% online

How it works

Unlimited subscription

Learn more

Understand and challenge racism with Amnesty International

The UK has a long history of racism, which is visible in its institutions, systems, and the everyday behaviours of British people. Even today, racialised and minoritised ethnic communities in the UK continue to be treated as second-class citizens.

On this three-week course from Amnesty International, you’ll explore the history and legacy of racism. You’ll learn how and why racism constitutes a human rights violation, and what you can do to become an effective anti-racist.

Trace the historical roots of race and racism

You’ll start the course with a definition of race and racism, and an introduction to their historical roots.

You’ll examine the UK’s role in transatlantic slavery, considering it through the lens of anti-racism and human rights.

You’ll also cover the history of resistance to racism in the UK, from the boycotting of the Bristol Omnibus Company to the removal of the city’s statue of Edward Colston.

Explore what racism and anti-racism look like in the UK today

In Week 2 of the course, you’ll move from the past to the present of racism and anti-racism in the UK.

You’ll discuss the different forms of racism in contemporary Britain, together with current movements to combat it.

Learn what you can do to practise anti-racism in your everyday life

As you learn about the history and impact of the anti-racism movement, you’ll be encouraged to take action yourself.

In the final week of the course, you’ll discover some everyday actions you can take to support and get involved with anti-racism activism. You’ll hear inspirational stories from activist groups and individuals in the UK today.

You’ll finish the course energised, inspired, and ready to do your bit to fight racism and champion human rights.

Week 1
Why racism is a violation of human rights
- Welcome to Amnesty International’s course on anti-racism
  Racism is deeply rooted in the structures of our society. Challenging these structures and the ideologies that support them is key to human rights progress.
- How to talk about race and racism
  Talking about racism is a first step in challenging it.
- Historical roots of race and racism
  We cannot move forward in this course without learning about the history of race and racism and the British role in the transatlantic slave trade.
- The transatlantic slave trade and using an anti-racism lens
  The transatlantic slave trade was one of the biggest human rights violations in history.
- Celebration of success
  You have successfully completed the first week of the Anti-Racism and Human Rights course.
Week 2
What is anti-racism and racism?
- Welcome to Week 2
  In this section of the course, you will consider the different forms of racism – interpersonal or individual racism, and institutional or structural racism.
- What are the different forms of racism?
  When most people think about racism, they probably think of racial slurs, hate crime and other overtly racist individual actions. There are, however, other less obvious yet destructive forms of racism.
- The history of resistance
  The tenacity and agency shown by African people in resisting enslavement, for fighting for their freedom, and striving to maintain their culture, traditions and identity, are often overlooked.
- How racism looks in the UK today
  Ibram X Kendi says in his book *How to Be an Antiracist:* ‘The only way to undo racism is to consistently identify and describe it – and then dismantle it.’
- Congratulations! You have now successfully completed Week 2
  We hope that this week fulfilled your expectations
Week 3
Work to be an anti-racist
- Welcome to week 3!
  In this final week of the course, you will focus on anti-racism work, the responsibility of people to act, and the different ways you can practise anti-racism in all aspects of life, particularly in your activism.
- Anti-racist activism in action
  Let’s look at how Black women have worked against racism in the UK.
- Becoming an anti-racist
  This part of the course will help you see how you can act against racism.
- Responsibility to act
  What is my role and what am I facing?
- Group activism
  The key aim of this course is that each person wishes to be a future or continuing changemaker
- Congratulations!
  Well done for completing this course!