The Schiedam campaign 'Discriminatie? Meld het wél!' (English: Discrimination? Report it!) has received criticism from Jacco van Sterkenburg, Professor of Inclusion, Racism, and Communication at the Erasmus School of History, Culture and Communication (ESHCC). The campaign, which has been running since January 30, encourages residents to report incidents of discrimination to RADAR Foundation, which is responsible for anti-discrimination policies in the region.
Van Sterkenburg expressed his concerns in an interview with Omroep Twee about how the campaign places the responsibility for reporting discrimination entirely on the individual. "Essentially, you're putting all the responsibility on the individual, while the municipality itself should do more to facilitate the start of a conversation," said the professor.
According to alderwoman Anouschka Biekman, the goal of the campaign is to gather more reports so that the municipality can take targeted action. This could lead to additional campaigns, services, or lesson packages for schools.
However, Van Sterkenburg emphasizes the importance of a holistic approach to the issue. "The campaign is an important step, but it's only a small part of what should be a much broader action plan," he stated. He stresses that the municipality must take more responsibility in the conversation about discrimination and not just wait for reports to come in. Van Sterkenburg advocates for a structural approach that actively addresses the underlying causes of discrimination within organizations and society.
His comments shed light on a broader discussion about the effectiveness of campaigns that rely on individual reports. Van Sterkenburg calls for a deeper, more comprehensive approach to inclusion and racism, where the municipality not only reacts but also acts preventively and structurally.
View the full item on the Omroep Twee website (in Dutch).
- Researcher
