Rastafari and the World in the Times of Black Lives Matter

Black Lives Matter has become a rallying cry for global justice. But while the Movement for Black Lives might be a 21st century phenomenon, the ethical proposition that Black lives should matter has broader and deeper roots. Since the 1930s, Rastafari have agitated and organized for the redemption of peoples of African descent – in the diaspora and the continent – from the ills of slavery and colonialism. And Rastafari have tied that redemption to the pursuit of international morality and collective security for all humanity. For over ninety years, Rastafari have dynamically evolved a worldwide spiritual, cultural, political, and economic Black-centred “livity”.

The Rastafari and the World in the Times of Black Lives Matter summer school was designed to offer profound and abiding insights for those seeking to make contemporary sense of why and how Black lives should matter. Due to the Covid-19 Pandemic, the summer school took place online, connecting ones and ones, teachers and students, from across the world – Africa, Europe, the Caribbean and the USA. Contributing organizations included Iniversal Development of Rastafari (IDOR) and the Lalibela Institute. The School ran from 31st Jul to 9th Aug 2021. Courses included:

• Black foundations: Jerusalem Schoolroom – the fundamentals of Rastafari livity  
• Black knowledge: Rastafari Studies – the academic study of Rastafari
• Black culture: Researching Rastafari – the ethics and methodologies of researching Rastafari culture
• Black world politics: Rastafari in the world – Rastafari engagement with local and global politics and society

Publicly available webinars