On ‘lived theory’: an interview with A. Sivanandan

Abstract

For a panel discussion on the work of the Institute of Race Relations (IRR) and Race & Class, at the Historical Materialism Conference 2013, Avery Gordon talked to A. Sivanandan as to what had guided his politics, thinking and writing on Black struggle, racism and globalism, over the last forty years.¹ He describes how the IRR reoriented itself to relate to subject people’s experiences, how new theory was developed by him and IRR to speak, not to other theories, but to ongoing struggles for equality, and the importance of being flexible and addressing racism as it changes with larger societal changes.