Arun Kundnani Associate

Our people — Associate

Arun Kundnani is the author of What is Antiracism? And why it means Anticapitalism (Verso, 2023), The Muslims are Coming! Islamophobia, Extremism, and the Domestic War on Terror (Verso, 2014), Spooked: How Not To Prevent Violent Extremism (Institute of Race Relations, 2009) and The End of Tolerance: Racism in 21st Century Britain (Pluto, 2007). A former editor of the journal Race & Class, he has been an Open Society fellow and a scholar-in-residence at the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, New York Public Library. He currently lives in New York state.

Website: https://www.kundnani.org

Twitter: @ArunKundnani (external link)

Latest work

Arun Kundnani: Why Capitalism needs Racism to function

Border Wars

Borders are not natural—they are political constructs designed to serve economic interests. As Arun Kundnani explains, while capital and goods move freely across borders, labor is heavily restricted, often through violent means. The idea that people must be kept out of certain regions is a relatively recent development, emerging in the 20th century alongside neoliberal globalization. This system benefits the wealthy by maintaining wage disparities and exploiting undocumented workers, all while justifying border violence in the name of security.

Video by

Arun Kundnani

Publication date: 20 March 2025
History in Action A counter history by the Transnational Institute

History
History in Action is a five part history podcast of the major moments and trends shaping the international left over the last 50 years, as seen through the eyes of the people involved at TNI.History in Action is available at the links below and on Spotify, TuneIn, AudioBoom and many other podcast platforms.
Dossier by

Susan George

Peter Weiss

Cora Weiss

John Cavanagh

Achin Vanaik

Anthony Barnett

Susan Buck-Morss

Ariane van Buren

Manuel Pérez-Rocha

John Berger

Isabel Letelier

Orlando Letelier

Eqbal Ahmad

Basker Vashee

Fred Halliday

Hilary Wainwright

Walden Bello

Martin Jelsma

Gonzalo Berrón

Lyda Fernanda Forero

Jun Borras

Fiona Dove

Arun Kundnani

Dorothy Grace Guerrero

Howard Wachtel

Brid Brennan

Satoko Kishimoto

Sol Trumbo Vila

Niamh Ní Bhriain

Lucía Bárcena

Katie Sandwell

Abir Kopty

Hamza Hamouchene
Publication date: 13 December 2024
History in Action - Part 5 2020-onward! - A counter history by the Transnational Institute

History
History in Action Part 5 guides us through the multifaceted impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, underscored by increasing corporate power and social injustices—from healthcare privatization and vaccine disparities to the militarization of borders. We talk about green colonialism and the people hijacking the transition to renewable energy for their own profits. We talk about Gaza. Insights from diverse activists and scholars emphasize the need for a collective, just transition and highlight the historical and ongoing struggles for social justice, for international solidarity and for systemic change.
Podcast by

Arun Kundnani

Niamh Ní Bhriain

Katie Sandwell

Lucía Bárcena

Walden Bello

Sol Trumbo Vila

Achin Vanaik

Dorothy Grace Guerrero

John Cavanagh

Achin Vanaik

Lyda Fernanda Forero

Manuel Pérez-Rocha

Fiona Dove

Abir Kopty

Hamza Hamouchene

Susan George
Publication date: 13 December 2024

See all work by Arun Kundnani