'...In other words, there is no scientific basis for the concept of race and, as a result, racism must disappear. A few years ago, I would have argued that by making this statement I had properly discharged my role as a scientist and a citizen. And yet, though there are no races, racism certainly exists!' (Wieviorka, 1995).
             Racism is a term that has been contaminated and overused over time. It has a complexity of meaning and usage. The twentieth century has witnessed the manipulation of the concept of racism into a term of political abuse; various users have continuously used and manipulated the concept to suit their political agendas (Miles 1989; Wieviorka 1995). The many concepts of racism that have been established have made it difficult to theorise the concept; 'The concept of racism has come to be used to refer not only to imagery and assertions, but also to practices, procedures and outcomes, often independent of human intentionality and a specific ideological content' (Miles 1989:3). While social scientists have restricted its meaning to retain its analytical value, political activists have extended its meaning to use the term as a political weapon in ideological warfare (Levinson & Ember 1996: 1054). As a result of this, the very concept of racism has been befuddled by multiple and sometimes even contradictory meanings (Levinson & Ember: 1996). With such a variety of approaches is it at all theoretically possible to formulate a common definition of racism? In this paper, I will adopt Mile's approach and argue that although racism is a historically specific and historically changing ideology it is possible to formulate a general theorisation of racism that identifies the certain attributes and characteristics that are present in every form of racism (Miles 1989; Miles 1993). However, although Miles definition does suggest criteria via which the ever-changing ideology of racism can be ide...