The Making of Atrocities: Is Racism a Risk Factor?

Trailer: The Making of Atrocities: Is Racism a Risk Factor?

Welcome to The Making of Atrocities: Is Racism a Risk Factor?, a podcast from the International Coalition of Sites of Conscience and the Global Initiative for Justice, Truth, and Reconciliation. 
This series will address racism as a risk factor for atrocity crimes on a global scale. And we will be doing this within the framework of racial justice and anti-racism. Each episode will explore manifestations of racism, from the racialized capitalism of colonialism and slavery to contemporary racial injustices in policing, media, and the economy. Our expert guests will help expose how these manifestations increase the risk of atrocity crimes.
In this trailer, you hear the voices of host Parusha Naidoo and our first two guests, Clint Smith and Savita Pawnday. 

Beginning the Conversation with Clint Smith and Savita Pawnday

Our series on racism as a risk factor for atrocity crimes begins with a conversation between Clint Smith and Savita Pawnday. Clint Smith is an American writer, poet, and scholar. His book, How the Word Is Passed, examines the legacy of American slavery and how it continues to impact society today. Savita Pawnday is the Executive Director of the Global Centre for the Responsibility to Protect. She is a foremost expert on the international norm of the Responsibility to Protect and atrocity prevention. Together they discuss how identity, racism, and memory are connected to atrocity crimes, and systemic human rights violations that shock the conscience.

Colonization, Slavery, and Historical Context

In this episode, we explore the historical realities of colonialism and slavery and how these immense injustices continue to impact people today. Our expert guests guide us through the unique colonial histories of Barbados, Senegal, and Namibia and ask important questions about reconciliation, justice, and reparations. 
Guests:
Alissandra Cummins is a Barbadian art historian, educator and scholar, who currently serves as Director of the Barbados Museum & Historical Society. She is also the Board Chair of the International Coalition of Sites of Conscience.
Fatima Fall is a specialist in preventive conservation and Director of Cultural Institutions at the Center of Research and Documentation in Senegal.
Steven Harageib is a Millennium Fellow at the Atlantic Council and serves as the technical director and head of programs for the Office of the First Lady of the Republic of Namibia’s One Economy Foundation. 

Indigenous Communities: Grappling with Legacies of Atrocity

We continue our series with a discussion surrounding the complex, multigenerational legacies of abuse, genocide, and oppression faced by Indigenous communities. In order to understand the impact of atrocity crimes on Indigenous communities, we must frame these injustices within a historical context and address their contemporary consequences. Our two expert guests explain the unique experiences of Indigenous legacy and healing in both Canada and Australia while emphasizing the need for real commitments and real change on the behalf of governments to avoid perpetuating cycles of injustice. 
 
Guests: 
 
Councilwoman Emelda Davis is the first Black woman elected to serve on the City of Sydney Council in its 180-year history and is a representative on the Clover Moore Independent Team. She is also a second generation born Australian South Sea Islander (ASSI) – a descendant of our Pacific slave trade to New South Wales in 1847.
 
Dr. Karine Duhamel is currently the Director of Indigenous Strategy for the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada. She was also Director of Research for the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, drafting the Final Report, as well as managing the Forensic Document Review Project and the Legacy Archive. 

The Complicated Role of Media in Conflict

In this episode, we interrogate the incredible impact that media has on the way we understand conflicts around the world. At its best, the media fosters informed public discourse and contributes to public understanding. It can also help hold governments and other actors accountable for their actions during conflict. But we cannot deny the downsides of media today as well. Media can blend opinion and fact, be used as a tool for propaganda, or even fuel, incite, and justify atrocity crimes. Our expert guests guide us on how best to address these challenges, navigate these complexities, and contribute positively to conflict resolution efforts, advocating for responsible and ethical journalism. 
Guests: 
Heba Aly is a multimedia journalist who spent a decade reporting from conflict zones in the Middle East, Africa and Central Asia. She’s worked for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, the Christian Science Monitor, Bloomberg News and currently, she is the CEO of The New Humanitarian, an independent nonprofit news organization.
Jamira Burley is an award-winning activist and international speaker. Currently, she is the Director of Social Impact North America for adidas and founder of IAMHERETO, working at the intersection of community, impact investments, and philanthropy.
 
Resources:
Junk News: Heba Aly: Stop eating junk news | TED Talk
How media can contribute to atrocities: The New Humanitarian | Media coverage of Israel and Gaza is rife with deadly double standards
Global Media Ethics Code: Missteps in Gaza coverage spur push for a global code of media ethics » Nieman Journalism Lab (niemanlab.org)
Decolonised journalism: The New Humanitarian | We’re thinking about ways we can decolonise our journalism — and we need your help
Building media literacy: Home - The Trust Project
Media that are run by / for African Americans:Capital B: Capital B News
MLK 50: MLK50: Justice Through Journalism | Memphis, Tennessee
Reporting on peace:TNH series: The New Humanitarian | Reporting from the front lines of peace
War Stories Peace Stories

Structural Inequalities and the Perpetuation of Atrocity Crimes

On today's penultimate episode, we will focus on structural inequalities and its relationship to systems of oppression as well as histories of exploitation and marginalization. Our two expert guests will draw on their personal and professional backgrounds to make sense of this linkage as they discuss building systems that are equitable and accountable to historically marginalized groups.
 
Gaynel Curry has worked on human rights with the United Nations for more than 23 years. She has served as the Gender and Women’s Rights Advisor in the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human RightsNew York. She oversaw work on the International Decade for People of African Descent. Recently, she led work on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development within the Human Rights Council in Geneva and is an independent expert on the Permanent Forum for People of African Descent. 
Luvano Ntuli is an investigator at Open Secrets, an African civil society organization that uses evidence-based investigations, the law, and collaboration with partner organizations to achieve systemic change around economic crimes and human rights abuses. She is also  a researcher for the newly formed Africa Justice and Transformation Network. Her research interests have been primarily around transitional justice, settler colonialism and land reform.

Conclusions and Lessons Learned

Today on the podcast, we'll be assessing what we've learned over the past five episodes. Throughout this podcast series we've learned that racism is prevalent in many communities across the globe and highlighted that racial injustice does not always look the same in every context, and therefore, racial justice cannot take on a one size fits all form. We've seen the economic and social impacts of racial inequality. We've heard stories of the effects of desperate treatment, including unequal access to fundamental resources such as healthcare and education. So, what happens now? What do our lessons learned provide us with?
 
To answer these questions we are joined by our expert guest, Jaclyn Streitfeld-Hall, who explains the tangible resources, in particular the Indicators and Assessment Tool on Racism and Atrocity Crimes, that GIJTR has helped to develop to address racism as a risk factor in atrocity crimes.
 
Guest: Jaclyn Streitfeld-Hall, the Director of Policy and Research for the Global Centre for the Responsibility to Protect.
 
The Making of Atrocities: Is Racism a Risk Factor? is a podcast series that amplifies lessons learned from GIJTR's "Understanding Racism as a Risk Factor in Atrocity Crimes" project, with a specific focus on racial justice and anti-racism. To learn more about this project, visit: https://gijtr.org/global-racial-justice/