Bonus Post: Listen to Inaya Folarin Iman & Nels Abbey debate "The Coconut Trial"
Recently, our director Inaya Folarin Iman participated in a lively discussion on BBC Radio 4's Antisocial, debating "The Coconut Trial" with author and journalist Nels Abbey.
The term “coconut” — implying someone is brown on the outside but “white on the inside” — continues to be used to criticise “black and brown” individuals who don’t conform to rigid cultural stereotypes. It often serves to belittle those who challenge such expectations.
Calling someone a coconut is used to demean someone on the grounds of race - Inaya Folarin Iman.
Yet, not everyone sees it this way. Some argue that using terms like “coconut” can spark important conversations about identity, even in a lighthearted way. This tension between these viewpoints was at the heart of the spirited debate, where the complexities of identity and various implications of these “loaded” terms were explored in depth.
The discussion delves into:
Interpretations of controversial racial terminology
The impact of such language on individuals and communities
The role of humour and satire in discussing sensitive topics
The broader implications for freedom of expression and hate speech
This is just a highlight of the episode. We encourage you to listen to the full episode, which features additional insights from academics and journalists.
I switched on the radio in my car one day and it must have been this show that was on. I heard Nels saying something about someone who was a professor and therefore we must take them (the professor) seriously. Nels didn’t seem to realise that you can have expert witnesses on both sides of an argument, or that professors aren't always right or that they can disagree with each other. Worse than this Nels seems to have an aristocratic disregard for the opinions of those of us whose educational qualifications do not meet his standards. This is the same Nels who on a previous interview with Inaya, proudly informed listeners that he had got a first for some dissertation or other when he was a student. I switched off as soon as I heard Nels so I didn't hear the rest of the show.
Some ridiculous people have put forward the view that calling someone a 'coconut' is satire - satire is supposed to be witty, intelligent and original - calling someone a 'coconut' is not satire, even if the professor says so – it’s name calling. Nels is a teacher's pet - that's not satire either.