Doctor Who and Race

Doctor Who and Race was an anthology of essays edited by Lindy Orthia concerning the history of Doctor Who's engagement with racial issues, in casting, as well as other issues such as colonialism, imperialism, and xenophobia. The essays drew from a mix of backgrounds, some of which were academics, some of which having written for the franchise itself, and some of which being normal fans, and had a mix of views on the treatment of these issues within the context of the show, from positive to neutral, to negative. The anthology was later noted as "one of the largest and most wide-ranging essay volumes published on Doctor Who" in DWMSE 47.

Publisher's summary
Doctor Who is the longest running science fiction television series in the world and is regularly watched by millions of people across the globe. While its scores of fans adore the show with cult-like devotion, the fan-contributors to this book argue that there is an uncharted dimension to Doctor Who. Bringing together diverse perspectives on race and its representation in Doctor Who, this anthology offers new understandings of the cultural significance of race in the programme – how the show’s representations of racial diversity, colonialism, nationalism and racism affect our daily lives and change the way we relate to each other.

An accessible introduction to critical race theory, postcolonial studies and other race-related academic fields, the 23 contributors deftly combine examples of the popular cultural icon and personal reflections to provide an analysis that is at once approachable but also filled with the intellectual rigor of academic critique.