Last week, Canadian psychology professor Jordan Peterson was invited onto one of the UK’s premier TV debate programmes, Question Time. As the panellists discussed the topic of institutional racism in British cricket, Prof Peterson launched into something of a tirade against the notion of structural racism.
His suggestion was that “the concept of structural racism” does not address the “issue”; rather, it “exacerbates the problem”. What problem Prof Peterson was referring to seems somewhat nebulous, but there are certainly multiple problems with his rhetoric. Not least because his very approach is implicit evidence of structural racism itself.
Prof Peterson chose an interesting opportunity to attack the notion of structural racism; the Question Time panel had been asked to comment on a specific example of that phenomenon, which related to British cricketer Azeem Rafiq, and Rafiq’s recent testimony to the British Parliament on how racism was common place within cricket.
Rafiq, as Prof Peterson admitted, “was experiencing racism, by his own account” – in other words, it was not second or third-hand research Rafiq was relying on, but his own lived experience. Prof Peterson even described the word “racism” as a “global and vague term”.
The professor could have chosen, perhaps, other examples to make his point; the Rafiq case seems rather clear-cut. Rafiq was, as Labour MP Stella Creasy pointed out on the programme, repeatedly called by abusive terms that were connected to his racial background – in other words, racist comments.
But there are two larger issues here. The first is that it isn’t simply the idea of racism that seems to have attracted the ire of Prof Peterson, who begrudgingly admitted such a thing exists. Rather, it was that structural racism, as a concept, only serves to “pit groups against groups”. The argument here is that while individuals might be racist, there is not an overarching system of laws and policies in many countries that is built upon that racism, and results in and supports a continued disadvantage of people on the basis of race.
One might be forgiven for thinking that Prof Peterson simply does not appreciate, as a psychology professor, such a social and political phenomenon as structural racism; it is beyond his expertise. Indeed, it is rather peculiar that a Canadian professor of psychology, who is not even a resident of the UK, was invited onto Question Time in the first place, let alone to discuss such a sensitive issue.
But there is more to it than that. Prof Peterson, and others similar to him on these issues, I would suggest, are entirely intelligent enough to understand the idea of systemic structural racism. It’s not a deeply difficult concept to grasp, and it is clear that they do understand the notion of “systems” when it comes to other biases, for example. For example, Bari Weiss, a former New York Times editor who has been outspoken against “woke culture”, has attempted to found a whole new educational institution in light of her claims around bias in the academy.
Peterson is a psychologist, so structural racism is beyond his expertise
Prof Peterson has frequently attacked academia for being, as he claims and which I would dispute, riddled by left-wing bias and political correctness. On other occasions, he has claimed that one should have a “multivariate analysis” when it comes to analysing why women are paid less than men. As he may know, this actually implies that there is a system involved, although he doesn’t seem to have much in the way of solutions.
When Prof Peterson and his fellow travellers attack the notion of structural racism, it is not due to some kind of abstract or esoteric objection to the idea of an overarching system that is underpinned by, supports and results in racism. Rather, his obfuscation of the system is designed, clearly, to reduce the importance of going beyond a few “rotten apples”, as it were.
Individual racists are bad for their racism, he might admit, but they do not thrive, he argues, because of a wider system. They are just bad people, and the surrounding environment of laws, polices and institutional arrangements, have nothing to do it. Perhaps this has something to do with why Prof Peterson has previously described Donald Trump as a “liberal” whom he would have voted for, or his well-publicised meeting with Viktor Orban, the deeply controversial President of Hungary.
For an academic, this is quite striking. In every field of study, there are very few things that are a matter of consensus for academics. But when it comes to the idea of structural racism, for sociologists, particularly those who study race and ethnic relations, there is a founding principle that is very clear: societal norms between different ethnic groups are not a matter of a few rotten apples here and there. They are established and upheld by clear flaws in society’s institutions, including in law and policy. In other words, systems that fail to prevent racism at best, and encourage it at worst.
But that brings us to the final question; why is it that such nonsense around racism can be uttered so easily, with very little consequence to one’s credibility, it seems, by a man like Prof Peterson? One is forced to ask: does the fact that he is well-to-do, white professor, have anything to do with it? And if so: is not his own denial of structural racism simply, frankly, more evidence of structural racism itself?
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RESULTS
5pm: Handicap (TB) Dh100,000, 2,400m
Winner: Recordman, Richard Mullen (jockey), Satish Seemar (trainer)
5.30pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) Dh 70,000, 2,200m
Winner: AF Taraha, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel
6pm: Abu Dhabi Fillies Classic Prestige (PA) Dh110,000, 1,400m
Winner: Dhafra, Fabrice Veron, Eric Lemartinel
6.30pm: Abu Dhabi Colts Classic Prestige (PA) Dh110,000, 1,400m
Winner: Maqam, Fabrice Veron, Eric Lemartinel
7pm: Handicap (PA) Dh85,000, 1,600m
Winner: AF Momtaz, Fernando Jara, Musabah Al Muhairi
7.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000, 1,600m
Winner: Optimizm, Patrick Cosgrave, Abdallah Al Hammadi
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
THE SPECS
Engine: 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder
Transmission: Constant Variable (CVT)
Power: 141bhp
Torque: 250Nm
Price: Dh64,500
On sale: Now
The specs: 2018 Jeep Compass
Price, base: Dh100,000 (estimate)
Engine: 2.4L four-cylinder
Transmission: Nine-speed automatic
Power: 184bhp at 6,400rpm
Torque: 237Nm at 3,900rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 9.4L / 100km
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Akeed
Based: Muscat
Launch year: 2018
Number of employees: 40
Sector: Online food delivery
Funding: Raised $3.2m since inception
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final, first leg
Bayern Munich v Real Madrid
When: April 25, 10.45pm kick-off (UAE)
Where: Allianz Arena, Munich
Live: BeIN Sports HD
Second leg: May 1, Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
On sale: Available to order now
The Facility’s Versatility
Between the start of the 2020 IPL on September 20, and the end of the Pakistan Super League this coming Thursday, the Zayed Cricket Stadium has had an unprecedented amount of traffic.
Never before has a ground in this country – or perhaps anywhere in the world – had such a volume of major-match cricket.
And yet scoring has remained high, and Abu Dhabi has seen some classic encounters in every format of the game.
October 18, IPL, Kolkata Knight Riders tied with Sunrisers Hyderabad
The two playoff-chasing sides put on 163 apiece, before Kolkata went on to win the Super Over
January 8, ODI, UAE beat Ireland by six wickets
A century by CP Rizwan underpinned one of UAE’s greatest ever wins, as they chased 270 to win with an over to spare
February 6, T10, Northern Warriors beat Delhi Bulls by eight wickets
The final of the T10 was chiefly memorable for a ferocious over of fast bowling from Fidel Edwards to Nicholas Pooran
March 14, Test, Afghanistan beat Zimbabwe by six wickets
Eleven wickets for Rashid Khan, 1,305 runs scored in five days, and a last session finish
June 17, PSL, Islamabad United beat Peshawar Zalmi by 15 runs
Usman Khawaja scored a hundred as Islamabad posted the highest score ever by a Pakistan team in T20 cricket
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The five pillars of Islam
Company Fact Box
Company name/date started: Abwaab Technologies / September 2019
Founders: Hamdi Tabbaa, co-founder and CEO. Hussein Alsarabi, co-founder and CTO
Based: Amman, Jordan
Sector: Education Technology
Size (employees/revenue): Total team size: 65. Full-time employees: 25. Revenue undisclosed
Stage: early-stage startup
Investors: Adam Tech Ventures, Endure Capital, Equitrust, the World Bank-backed Innovative Startups SMEs Fund, a London investment fund, a number of former and current executives from Uber and Netflix, among others.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Match info
Manchester United 4
(Pogba 5', 33', Rashford 45', Lukaku 72')
Bournemouth 1
(Ake 45 2')
Red card: Eric Bailly (Manchester United)
Tips for job-seekers
- Do not submit your application through the Easy Apply button on LinkedIn. Employers receive between 600 and 800 replies for each job advert on the platform. If you are the right fit for a job, connect to a relevant person in the company on LinkedIn and send them a direct message.
- Make sure you are an exact fit for the job advertised. If you are an HR manager with five years’ experience in retail and the job requires a similar candidate with five years’ experience in consumer, you should apply. But if you have no experience in HR, do not apply for the job.
David Mackenzie, founder of recruitment agency Mackenzie Jones Middle East
The Prison Letters of Nelson Mandela
Edited by Sahm Venter
Published by Liveright
Red flags
- Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
- Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
- Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
- Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
- Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.
Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
What to watch out for:
Algae, waste coffee grounds and orange peels will be used in the pavilion's walls and gangways
The hulls of three ships will be used for the roof
The hulls will painted to make the largest Italian tricolour in the country’s history
Several pillars more than 20 metres high will support the structure
Roughly 15 tonnes of steel will be used
The rules on fostering in the UAE
A foster couple or family must:
- be Muslim, Emirati and be residing in the UAE
- not be younger than 25 years old
- not have been convicted of offences or crimes involving moral turpitude
- be free of infectious diseases or psychological and mental disorders
- have the ability to support its members and the foster child financially
- undertake to treat and raise the child in a proper manner and take care of his or her health and well-being
- A single, divorced or widowed Muslim Emirati female, residing in the UAE may apply to foster a child if she is at least 30 years old and able to support the child financially
2024%20Dubai%20Marathon%20Results
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Elvis
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
How to get there
Emirates (www.emirates.com) flies directly to Hanoi, Vietnam, with fares starting from around Dh2,725 return, while Etihad (www.etihad.com) fares cost about Dh2,213 return with a stop. Chuong is 25 kilometres south of Hanoi.
The biog
Age: 59
From: Giza Governorate, Egypt
Family: A daughter, two sons and wife
Favourite tree: Ghaf
Runner up favourite tree: Frankincense
Favourite place on Sir Bani Yas Island: “I love all of Sir Bani Yas. Every spot of Sir Bani Yas, I love it.”
Company profile
Company name: Suraasa
Started: 2018
Founders: Rishabh Khanna, Ankit Khanna and Sahil Makker
Based: India, UAE and the UK
Industry: EdTech
Initial investment: More than $200,000 in seed funding
The bio
Job: Coder, website designer and chief executive, Trinet solutions
School: Year 8 pupil at Elite English School in Abu Hail, Deira
Role Models: Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk
Dream City: San Francisco
Hometown: Dubai
City of birth: Thiruvilla, Kerala
