On the limits of antiracism: how antiracist opposition is connected to racism denial in Germany

Scholars of racism have highlighted the ambivalences of antiracismarguing that it can sometimes serve as a strategy to immunizeracism from criticism, thereby contributing to its perpetuation.This article draws on a unique population survey on racism inGermany (N = 5.003) which contains a novel set of items relatedto antiracist action and the denial of racism to empirically assessthese claims. Indeed, our findings suggest that despite the broadwillingness in the population to engage against racism, antiracistaction can often coexist with racism denial, thus contributing tothe reproduction of racist discourses. Yet, we also find nuancedpatterns with those actively participating in demonstrationsscoring much lower on racism denial compared to those engagedin other forms of action or those not engaging at all. Thisresearch underscores the necessity for a more comprehensiveapproach to the complexities of (anti)racism.

doi: 10.1080/01419870.2025.2508392 ISSN: 0141-9870 Open Access