Jacobin Radio Dig: Black Power, Cold War w/ Aziz Rana
Apr 26, 2025
In this engaging discussion, Aziz Rana, a Boston College law professor and author, dives into the contradictions of American constitutional reverence. He examines how Black movements navigated the tumultuous landscape of the Vietnam War and civil rights, highlighting the challenges faced by leaders like Martin Luther King. Rana critiques the U.S. Constitution's role in perpetuating neocolonial dynamics, particularly in the context of anti-colonial struggles in Kenya. The conversation also explores the evolution of Black radical thought and the quest for systemic change in the face of oppression.
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Vietnam War’s Radicalizing Impact
- The Vietnam War exposed contradictions in Cold War liberalism, showing the U.S. as imperial and undermining its moral claims.
- Black and youth radicalism linked domestic racial injustice with global colonial oppression, fueling new anti-imperial activism.
Liberal Separation of Domestic-Foreign Policy
- The liberal insistence to separate domestic civil rights from foreign policy is strategic and ideological to protect the Cold War alliance.
- Linking domestic racial justice with critiques of U.S. imperialism risks repression and political marginalization.
Black Radicals’ Multiracial Liberation Vision
- Black radicals saw the U.S. as a colonial settler society needing fundamental transformation through multiracial coalition.
- They rejected ethno-nationalist separatism, advocating for inclusive liberation that addresses colonial legacies affecting all.
