Alles Rassismus?

Critique of racism is omnipresent. But what happens when accusations are systematically exaggerated and everyday trivialities are criticized with the same fervor as racially motivated crimes? Does the critique not lose its impact and the phenomenon its contours? Levent Tezcan presents a pointed polemic against an agitated debate that continually stirs emotions. "All Racism" explores why racial distinctions are gaining traction even beyond xenophobic discourses. The mediatized critique of racism currently presents itself as a new grand narrative, where subjects position themselves as marginalized against the privileged, and skin color becomes the new reference point. Tezcan links the increasing use of racial distinctions to the affect economy of Western societies, where a shift from strength to weakness is taking place. The vulnerable, who are to be made visible, are now deemed just, not least through demands for migrant quotas. However, the provocative thesis of the book suggests that what is actually being promoted is resentment—both among minorities and the majority. The real danger to democratically structured societies does not stem from "everyday racism" and its microaggressions, but from a racist politics that is once again on the rise in Europe.