Dr Melissa Wagner on eugenics theories, the search for a safe space for mixed race conversation and the historical dehumanisation of mixed people
The one where we were literally the argument against immigration into the country
Emma and Nicole discuss the historical context for the mixed race identity in the UK with Dr Melissa Wagner, who studied Caribbean Studies and English with Paul Gilroy and has a PHD from Goldsmiths. She wrote her thesis on the essentialism portrayal of ‘mixed-race’ identity in the Caribbean Novel.
We discuss eugenics theories, Enoch Powell and 1960s concerns around the contamination of the white race and the threat of ‘half castes’ becoming an undesirable presence in the UK. We talk about how the divide and control strategy conceived so long ago is alive and well today and how we as mixed people are perpetually trying to find our safe space.
Preorder our book The Half Of It: https://amzn.to/3rDq1qo
Our website: https://www.mixedup.co.uk/
Our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/mixeduppodcast
Our Instagram: https://instagram.com/mixedup.podcast
Melissa's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/melissa.j.wagner/
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