Merthyr and Masculinities: A personal story of understanding and combating prejudice in post-industrial communities
Tue, Nov 7, 2017
6:30 PM–8:30 PM
The James Gallery
In the aftermath of Brexit Harriet Protheroe-Davies returned to Merthyr Tydfil, UK, where she grew up in the South Wales Valleys, to spearhead a new initiative of the anti-fascist charity HOPE Not Hate called ‘The Left Behind Communities Project,’ which is using specific strategies of ‘mobilizing’ and ‘organizing’ to bring people together to undercut racist narratives.
In this talk, Harriet – who is now the South Wales Organizer for HOPE Not Hate – will look at how and why post-industrial areas of South Wales have become a target for far right politics. Through exploring her family’s experiences of industrial change, and by sharing her experiences and the ongoing challenges in combating the politics of hate, which will specifically focus on how the alt-right (and, increasingly, UK progressive labour movements) have mobilized a divisive and toxic discourse about gender and “identity politics.”
