Xenophobia and Nativism in Africa, Latin America, and the Caribbean:  A Comparative Review

Call for Book Chapters

Xenophobia and Nativism in Africa, Latin America, and the Caribbean:  A Comparative Review

Editors: Sabella Abidde, Michael R. Hall, and José de Arimatéia da Cruz

This project is envisioned as a comparative assessment of xenophobia and nativism in Africa, Latin America, and the Caribbean – three regions with historical, cultural, and geographical proximities. The dictionary defines xenophobia as the “hatred or fear of foreigners,” while nativism is thought of as a deliberate “policy of favoring native inhabitants to the detriment of immigrants and or non-natives.” Broadly speaking, at the nexus of these phenomena is the hatred or the dislike of “foreigners,” “Outsiders,” and the “Others.” Also, in the case of xenophobia, there is usually the expression of violence; while in the case of nativism, there is usually the expression of exclusion through laws that restrict access to political and economic goods and services. In both cases – in addition to violence and exclusion – there may be widespread expulsion of the foreigners and the outsiders.

For as long as there has been migration and or in countries with noticeable migrant populations, there have been xenophobic and nativistic expressions on the part of some natives or those who consider themselves indigenes, citizens. There are economic, political, social, cultural, and psychological triggers for xenophobia and nativism — but mostly economic and nationalistic reasons. Within the African continent, for instance, South Africa is seen as the epicenter of xenophobia with an untold number of violence, destructions, deaths, and expulsion of fellow Africans from within and outside of the Southern African region. Across the continent, however, there are unreported and underreported incidences of nativism. These insidious incidences are not limited to the Africa continent. Academic and nonacademic literature also points to xenophobia and nativism in the United States, Latin America, the Caribbean, Western and Eastern Europe, and elsewhere around the world.

While there is ample literature on these issues, there is a huge gap in terms of comparative assessments involving three of the most significant regions of the Global South: Africa, Latin America, and the Caribbean. We are interested, not merely in the examination of these occurrences, but also in their theoretical understanding, and how their occurrences can be curtailed and or ameliorated. Furthermore, we are interested in their implications on an increasingly interconnected and interrelated world. Are there national laws and international conventions that address these problematic challenges? How do the triggers in Africa differ from those in Latin America and the Caribbean? How do xenophobia and nativism affect Pan-Africanism in select countries in Africa, Latin America, and the Caribbean?

Scholars, public intellectuals, and members of governmental and non-governmental organizations are encouraged to submit abstracts that address the topics we have suggested. They may also address topics/themes that are not listed but falls within the overall thrust of the book. The suggested topics are:

SECTION ONE: ORIGINS, PARADIGMS, AND PERSPECTIVES

1. Conceptualization and Theorization of Xenophobia and Nativism
2. The Economic, Political, and Social Cost of Xenophobia and Nativism
3. Africa: Nativism versus Tribalism?
4. The Impact of Xenophobia on Pan-Africanism in Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean
5. The Traditional and Social Media and the Coverage of Xenophobia and Nativism
6. The Impact of Migration and Globalization on Xenophobia and Nativism

SECTION TWO: DOMESTIC AND INTERNATIONAL LAWS AND CONVENTIONS

7. Xenophobia, Nativism, and the Organization of American States
8. Xenophobia, Nativism and the CARICOM
9. Xenophobia, Nativism and the African Union
10. Xenophobia, Nativism and the United Nations
11. Global Perspective on Xenophobia and Nativism: A Survey
12. The Colonial States and the Birthing of Xenophobia and Nativism

SECTION THREE: CASES STUDIES AND MULTIREGIONAL ASSESSMENTS

13. South Africa and Zimbabwe
14. Argentina and Peru
15. Haiti and the Dominican Republic
16. Nigeria and Ghana
17. The Bahamas and Guyana
18. Brazil and Colombia

FORMATTING/CITATION/DUE DATES

• Submit a 300 to 350 word abstract and a 150 to 200-word bio (about the author) by 1 August 2021. You will be notified of acceptance or rejection of your abstract on 15 August 2021.
• The completed chapter — 9000 to 9500 words — is due 30 January 2022.
• For formatting/citation, please adhere to the Chicago Manual of Style (no in-text citations, use endnotes and provide bibliography).
• Send your abstract, author biography, and general inquiries to Sabidde@gmail.com and cc the co-editors at jdacruz@georgiasouthern.edu and sabidde@gmail.com

ABOUT THE EDITORS

Sabella O. Abidde is a professor of political science at Alabama State University. He holds an MA in political science from Minnesota State University Mankato, and a Ph.D. in African Studies, World Affairs, Public Policy and Development Studies from Howard University. His edited volumes on Africa, Latin America, and the Caribbean include The Challenges of Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons in Africa (Springer, 2021); Fidel Castro and Africa’s Liberation Struggle (Lexington, 2020); and Africa, Latin America, and the Caribbean: The Case for Bilateral and Multilateral Cooperation (Lexington Books, 2018). He is a member of the Association of Global South Studies (AGSS); the Caribbean Studies Association (CSA); the Latin American Studies Association (LASA); and the African Studies & Research Forum (ASRF).

Michael R. Hall is a professor of history in the department of history at Georgia Southern Univ., Savannah, GA. He holds a B.A. in History – Gettysburg College; M.A. in International Studies – Ohio University; and a Ph.D. in History – Ohio University. He is the author of “Ethnic Conflict in Mexico: The Zapatista Army of National Liberation.” In Santosh C. Saha, ed.  Perspectives on Contemporary Ethnic Conflict: Primal Violence or the Politics of Conviction (Rowman & Littlefield, 2006); Historical Dictionary of Haiti (Scarecrow Press, 2012); and “Castro and Cabral: Cuban Assistance in the Struggle for Independence in Guinea-Bissau and Cabo Verde.” In Sabella Abidde and Charity Manyeruke, eds.  Fidel Castro and Africa’s Liberation Struggle (Lexington Books, 2020). Dr. Hall is the Book Review Editor, Journal of Global South Studies.

José de Arimatéia da Cruz is a professor of international relations and international studies in the department of political science & international studies at Georgia Southern University, Georgia. He holds a Ph.D. in political science from Miami University, Oxford, Ohio. Dr. Cruz is a Research Professor at the U.S. Army War College Strategic Studies Institute; and a Research Fellow at the Brazil Research Unit Council on Hemispheric Affairs (COHA). He is the co-author of “Third Generation Gangs Strategic Note No. 10: Military Takes Control of Policing in Rio de Janeiro,” Small Wars Journal, 23 February 2018; and “Third Generation Gangs Strategic Note No. 9: Concerns About Potential Gang Influence on Upcoming Brazilian Elections,” Small Wars Journal, 25 January 2018.