Description
Any definitions of reparations is contingent on who is tackling the topic and what aspect of the current world order reparative actions should tackle and why. But a simple definition that can encompass the overall idea of deep, meaningful and long-lasting change that reparations has come to represent is one that sees reparations as a “program of acknowledgment, redress, and closure for a grievous injustice”(Darity, 2020a). What differs is how one thinks this can be achieved. My proposed research takes the view that reparations, as a way to correct contemporary manifestations of past wrongs, should occur through the vital role that grassroots movements play in enacting structural change. Using insights gained from structural injustice approaches, and a combination of semi-structured interviews and focus groups with both grassroots activists and local politicians, I aim to shed light on the work of grassroots movements and their impact on the daily life of Black Americans. This in turn will provide a much less explored take on the debate on reparations, the role of grassroots movements and the possibility that incremental structural change at a local level can be an important contribution to the larger, world-spanning goal of reparations.
