Introduction

“What is this book?” – was a question posed by an esteemed scholar who writes within this volume. Initially, it surprised the lead editor, as most straightforward questions often do. Why is it, indeed? Is it a call for the repudiation of race and racism in accounting? Or a safe space for critical accounting scholars of race to publish their work without fear of reprisal? Is it to prove the salience of race and racism in the field of accounting, highlighting its importance as a field of study to detractors? It is all these things and more. Ultimately, text is a voice, one long ignored by the field, just as those racialized as Other have been ignored for the longest time. Our hope as the editors of this volume is that this collective voice, comprising varied research from across the globe, inspires those who read it to challenge what is possible and to be brave in thought and deed when challenging race and racism in the accounting academy. More importantly, the tenor of this work is that of the personal. As researchers, we are warned to be wary of the bias of the personal; as accountants, we are guided to be impassionate as a proxy for impartiality. This divorce from self is no small thing; it comes at no small cost. It is the sacrifice of passion needed to drive change forward. This book opposes this, instead unapologetically reintroducing passion and self, eschewing positivism as antithetical to explaining and exploring race and racism within the borders of accounting.