Decoding Democracy: How Racism Thrives Though Participation and Inclusion

• In Event: Decolonising Democratic Innovations: Beyond the White and Western Gaze

Abstract

Drawing on the City of Toronto as a case study, this paper illuminates the terms, implications and outcomes of consultation with racialized and Indigenous groups in the development of state anti-racist policies and practices. Over the past five decades, the City of Toronto has held over 100 consultations to help develop City policies and practices aimed at combating racism experienced by Toronto residents. These consultations have contributed significantly to the City’s world-class reputation for expanding the limits of democracy, and for challenging racial inequality.
In this paper, I situate consultation with racialized and Indigenous groups in the City of Toronto within local, political and discursive processes whereby select racialized and Indigenous community members are produced as state actors who shape the terms under which racism is addressed. A detailed exploration of City of Toronto policy documents from 1975 to 2018 which report on consultations with racialized and Indigenous groups reveal that accounts of racism in the City become delegitimized through the inclusion of these state actors. I conclude by adding critical depth to claims that more consultation with racialized and Indigenous groups is needed to address their social, political, and economic exclusion, and to enhance the performance of democracies across the globe.

Author

• Shana Almeida, Ryerson University