Why I dislike 'African-Caribbean societies'

I agree with this sentiment. The annoying thing for me was, actually having come FROM africa, I wasnt actually allowed to join because I was white (Wasnt my heritage - When I had more right to be a part of that society than over half of the people there).

Anyway, sentiment of OP is just.

I don't like these sorts of societies since they only help prevent integration between different races.

I agree with the OP. I have a friend from South Africa who was told he couldn't join because he was white and therefore not "of Africa". He went to the student union and they told him it was too much of a delicate issue for them to get involved. Rubbish it was racism pure and simple, had the shoe been on the other foot and a group of white students said no to a black person because they were not of the culture then everyone would have been in up in the air and people would have been expelled. I don't understand it, why try and segregate yourself from the rest of the students or anyone else for that matter? If skin colour doesn't matter why do you feel a need to have a group dedicated to your own skin colour? On the same level I don't understand the black police officers association or the association of black lawyers. Why try and ghettoise yourself from everyone else? Just because you share a skin tone doesn't mean you will share anything else.

It's an interesting point OP, though the ACS experience may vary from uni to uni.

I remember at my uni's freshers' fair, the Afro-Caribbean Soc, Nigerian Soc and Afrisoc stalls were all adjacent to each other. I was chatting to the Nigerian Soc rep, when another black grad student came along and questioned why the Nigerian society existed. The rep said (obviously) to represent Nigerian students in the uni. The black student then argued that at his previous uni, there was no division of Africans and Caribbean societies; there was only the Afro-Caribbean society, and that worked fine. The grad went on to accuse the Nigerian Soc of 'just trying to be different.' I'd love to hear your thoughts on that.

Undergrads will most likely be UK students from major cities - particularly London - where so called 'black culture' is closely linked with the 'urban culture' you speak of (read: hip hop, funky house, grime, dubstep music). In that sense, it's unsurprising that the ACS may focus more on these elements for their events.

As long as these societies don't seek to actively exclude people who may not be of the same race or creed, then I personally have no beef with them.

If your ACS doesn't cater for your needs OP, then perhaps you should suggest some improvements to the organisers.

Your university has the right idea. Nigeria is it's own separate country with it's own separate history and culture. Perhaps it was the only African student group big enough to form it's own society. Disagreeing with the Nigerian soc is akin to disagreeing with a French soc because "a European soc already exists" Ridiculous isn't it?



True, but it is not an urban society and it is an affront to the real culture of African and Caribbean countries that they are attempting to pass that off as their culture. Asians also tend to hail from urban areas but their respective societies are nowhere near as 'urbanized' as the ACS. The only explanation is that it is because they have lumped all black people into one society when they have little in common culturally so they have to fall back on 'urban culture' which is what most black undergrads will be familiar with because of the reasons that you already said.




But some actually do. We already have two Africans who have posted in this thread saying they were banned from their ACS just for being white.



Seeing as my thread has had a positive response I may just try and write an article in my student newspaper about this. I won't go as far as accusing them of racism but I will Propose that they at least separate the two cultures into separate societies and maybe have sub societies if there are enough pupils per country. Thank you for your input

I agree with this sentiment. The annoying thing for me was, actually having come FROM africa, I wasnt actually allowed to join because I was white (Wasnt my heritage - When I had more right to be a part of that society than over half of the people there).

Anyway, sentiment of OP is just.

I tend to look upon most of these societies in disdain. One of my many pet hates is the "National Black Police Association". The idea that one could be refused entry to such an association on the basis that their skin is a different colour is an abomination to democracy and shows downright disgraceful double standards. The BNP (Note: I don't like them either) were took to court and ultimately left bankrupt due to their policy of only allowing white people to join. The sooner people in this country, a country which is supposedly the most tolerant and accepting in the world, stop seeing each other as black or white, the sooner racism will no longer be an issue.

Another disgrace: black history month.

These societies are discriminatory and should be abolished. Either that, or the naming of such groups should be changed - I have no beef if they are there to educate others on the culture. In fact, I'd welcome an African Education Society with open arms.

With all due respect, you need to do some research about why the National Black Police Association and Black History Month were created. They were created to combat intolerance and ignorance, not to perpetuate it, and so they aren't comparable to the BNP. Black History Month in particular is supposed to educate people on black history and culture.

Let me pose this in another way: if racism was not an issue, would these societies need to have been established?

For your information, in the UK there is already an African Education Society of sorts, though it's called the Royal African Society - http://www.royalafricansociety.org/

I agree with this sentiment. The annoying thing for me was, actually having come FROM africa, I wasnt actually allowed to join because I was white (Wasnt my heritage - When I had more right to be a part of that society than over half of the people there).

Anyway, sentiment of OP is just.