The ERIF Sinterklaas Brand and Product study began as a direct outcome of our first conference on European blackface. The Returning the Gaze conference brought together 15 scholars and campaigners from across Europe to collectively discuss and disrupt anti-Black rhetoric and imagery circulating heavily at that time, namely blackface. It was during this gathering, hosted in Amsterdam at the International Institute for Education and Research (IIRE), in November 2014, that we identified a need to begin to systematically monitor changes in depictions of the racist, blackface character Zwarte Piet, part of the Dutch Sinterklaas festivities,  in the commercial sector(s). 

Our study has specifically focused on packaging, ads and the products themselves, in supermarkets, toy stores, department stores and other (online) stores. Therefore, we set out collecting both online quantitative and in-store qualitative data throughout the country, on a yearly basis. Chronicling and analysing this evolution serves two key functions: 1) to develop a longitudinal data set of the evolution of Zwarte Piet, captured in real time; and 2) archive and valorise Dutch anti-blackface activism and its effectiveness. Over the years, through the data collected, a clear picture has arisen of the development of the Zwarte Piet depictions in the Netherlands, and how this relates to changing attitudes towards the figure across the country. You can read the latest report showcasing those changes here.

The next report, due to be published in 2025, will feature conclusions and commentaries based on 10 years of results. To bring ERIF full circle on where we started as an organisation with our first conference, we intend to position this year’s report within the broader contexts of European blackface. We are thus sharing this open call to invite scholars, artists and campaigners to submit proposals for contributions, which capture and critique contemporary practices of blackface occurring in Europe (see ERIF’s definition of Europe here). We also welcome submissions seeking to valorise anti-blackface campaign work, especially where this is shown to connect with broader anti-racist and/or decolonial discourses and praxis.

Contributions do not need to be scientific or overly academic; we also appreciate artistic and especially welcome more accessible pieces. If you are interested in submitting a proposal, please read the specifications below carefully and complete this form by the 5th December 2024. We aim to communicate our selection by the 15th December. The report will be published in the summer of 2025. 

NB: ERIF unfortunately cannot financially compensate authors at this time.

We look forward to receiving proposals for the following:

• Short essays (e.g., academic, journalistic, personal narrative-driven);
• Photo essays;
• Illustrations and portraits;
• Poetry; 
• Interviews;
• Social justice calls to action;
• Written pieces should be no longer than 1,000 words;
• Visual pieces should be no more than five pages;
• Our report is published in English, but we welcome accompanying translated text if available; 
• For videos and audio, please reach out to us per email to discuss your idea;
• Are you based in the Netherlands (especially Friesland, Groningen and/or Limburg)? Then please find out more about our special call for fieldworkers in these regions.

If you have any additional questions about this call or our Sinterklaas study more generally, please reach out to Bel and Martijn via info@erifonline.org

We look forward to hearing from you soon! Best wishes,

The ERIF team