Aspiration and Self-Realization: The Ameliorative Projects of Steve Biko. Issue 2 (March 2023)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Gray, David Miguel
• Other Names: Henderson David guest-editor.; Khalifa Kareem guest-editor.; Risjord Mark guest-editor.; Roth Paul guest-editor.; Tollefsen Deborah guest-editor.; Turner Stephen guest-editor.
• Is Part Of: Philosophy of the social sciences. Volume 53:Issue 2(2023)
• Page Start: 142
• Page End: 162
• Publication Date: 2023-03
• Subjects: amelioration -- Black Consciousness -- Biko -- race -- social ontology; Social sciences -- Periodicals; Social sciences -- Methodology -- Periodicals; Sciences sociales -- Périodiques; Sciences sociales -- Méthodologie -- Périodiques; 300.1
• DOI: 10.1177/00483931221150488
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0048-3931

Abstract

Work on the conceptual amelioration of race concepts is usually negative or critical: it uncovers social features that contribute to racial hierarchies. Much less focus has been placed on how ameliorative accounts contribute to positive change. Using an account of race developed by Steve Biko during South African apartheid, I will argue that we can extract a novel account of positive amelioration in which racial categories can have normative or aspirational force, contributing to positive change.