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Transatlantic crossroads Lab

Project description

Plantation economy and racism in the transatlantic space

A prevailing hypothesis suggests that racism and racialism emerged from the plantation economy in the Americas, and later shaped European colonialism in Africa. In this context, the Atlantic offers a historical lens through which to examine colonial domination and racial ideologies. Supported by the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions programme, the TransatlanticLab project will investigate colonial and post-colonial interactions across the transatlantic world, with a focus on the Caribbean plantation economy and its influence on race and racism. The project will analyse how economic practices created racial hierarchies and reinforced social oppression on both sides of the ocean. Its findings aim to provide fresh insights into the links between African colonialism and the American plantation system.

Objective

"TransatlanticLab reexamines colonial and post-colonial interactions within the transatlantic space, using the Atlantic as a historical laboratory to explore colonial domination and racialist ideologies. The project focuses on how these dynamics, emerging from the plantation economy in the greater Caribbean, were maximised on both sides of the ocean. It addresses how race was constructed through economic practices, becoming an instrument of social oppression embedded in thought and language. Beyond traditional European mechanisms like slavery, forced labour, and racialism, the analysis includes their impacts on European territories. It rethinks colonial regimes, historicises European domination languages, and examines intermediaries' roles in maintaining colonial power. TransatlanticLab aims to surpass current decolonial theories and simplistic understandings of racism as merely a system of prejudiced morality that can be corrected through education. The hypothesis posits that racialism and racism evolved tied to the plantation economy, flourishing in the Americas and the Caribbean, and later used in European colonialism in Africa. Our argument is multifold: 1-Colonialism roots in Africa and racism link to Americas' plantation systems. 2-Enslavement created ""Black"" and ""White"" hierarchical systems. 3-Pseudo-scientific racialism naturalised this system. 4-This ideology supported European racist politics by the ""Scramble for Africa."" 5-African colonialism depended on Caribbean plantation economies. 6-European scientific exploration and tropical determinism led to environmental racism. TransatlanticLab will provide new insights into the long-term transformations of the tools of imperialism and colonialism. In order to comprehend the impact of these instruments of power, we will analyse them in their contemporary social contexts, considering history, geography and environment. This approach helps understand racial ideologies and colonial practices, and their impact.

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Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)

Keywords

Programme(s)

Topic(s)

Funding Scheme

HORIZON-TMA-MSCA-SE - HORIZON TMA MSCA Staff Exchanges

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Call for proposal

(opens in new window) HORIZON-MSCA-2024-SE-01

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Coordinator

AGENCIA ESTATAL CONSEJO SUPERIOR DE INVESTIGACIONES CIENTIFICAS
Net EU contribution
€ 475 950,00
Address
CALLE SERRANO 117
28006 Madrid
Spain
Region
Comunidad de Madrid Comunidad de Madrid Madrid
Activity type
Research Organisations
Links
Total cost
No data

Participants (10)

Partners (13)