Raising Two Fists: Struggles for Black Citizenship in Multicultural Colombia

Raising Two Fists is a historically grounded ethnography of Afro-Colombian political mobilization after the multicultural turn that swept Latin America in the 1990s. It explores three major strategies developed by Afro-Colombians to fight racialized dispossession, including the defense of culturally specific livelihoods, the demand for differential reparations, and the fight for inclusion in peace negotiations and post-conflict rebuilding. Despite the effectiveness of rights-based claims, Cárdenas argues that they continue to be ineffective due to Colombia's entrenched colonial racial hierarchies. She shows that Afro-Colombians pursue rights-based claims while also forging African Diasporic solidarities and protecting the flourishing of their lives outside of the frame of rights, with or without the state's sanction.

Format: Hardback
Length: 274 pages
Publication date: 27 February 2024
Publisher: Stanford University Press

Raising Two Fists is a comprehensive ethnography that delves into the political mobilization of Afro-Colombians in the aftermath of the multicultural turn that swept across Latin America in the 1990s. This transformative era saw states recognizing and legally enshrining rights for Afro-descendants, marking a significant milestone in the fight for equality. Roosbelinda Cárdenas, the author of this insightful work, explores three critical strategies that Afro-Colombians have developed in their relentless struggle against racialized dispossession. These strategies include the defense of culturally specific livelihoods through the creation of Black Territories, the demand for differential reparations for Afro-Colombian war victims, and the fight for inclusion in Colombia's peace negotiations and post-conflict rebuilding.

Through her detailed analysis, Cárdenas vividly illustrates how Afro-Colombians engage in this vital work both as active participants in organized political movements and in their daily lives. She emphasizes that while rights-based claims to the state have become essential and pragmatic tools in the intersecting struggles for racial, economic, and social justice, their effectiveness remains limited due to Colombia's deeply entrenched colonial racial hierarchies. Cárdenas demonstrates that while Afro-Colombians pursue rights-based claims, they simultaneously forge African Diasporic solidarities and actively protect the flourishing of their lives outside the confines of rights, either with or without the state's sanction. This two-fisted strategy for Black citizenship represents a powerful response to the ongoing challenges faced by Afro-Colombians.

Raising Two Fists offers a profound exploration of the complex dynamics between race, identity, and political mobilization. It sheds light on the strategies employed by Afro-Colombians to challenge systemic inequalities and advocate for their rights. The book provides valuable insights into the experiences of Afro-Colombians and their ongoing struggle for a more inclusive and equitable society. By highlighting the two-fisted approach of Afro-Colombians, Cárdenas underscores the importance of combining legal claims with grassroots activism and community-building to achieve lasting change.

In conclusion, Raising Two Fists is a must-read for anyone interested in understanding the complexities of race, identity, and political mobilization in Latin America. Through its rich ethnographic analysis, the book offers a valuable contribution to the ongoing dialogue about equality and social justice in the region. By highlighting the two-fisted strategy of Afro-Colombians, it provides a blueprint for other communities seeking to overcome historical legacies of oppression and achieve a more inclusive future.

Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781503613799