This article explores the role of NATO in the upkeep of what W. E. B. Du Bois termed the global ‘colour line’—namely a racialized division of the world. Formally, the organization views itself as a defensive alliance, focused on safeguarding the freedom and security of its member states. However, building on works that reveal the racialized founding and workings of international relations, I argue that this seemingly defensive aspiration is premised on an antagonistic, racialized conception of the global order that is tantamount to what Du Bois conceived as the ‘colour line’. For one thing, it is premised on the metropolitan notion that values such as freedom, security, stability, human rights, democracy and rule of law are endogenous to transatlantic alliance and, by extension, the global North. Furthermore, by positioning itself as a line of defence against threats to these values also presumes that such ‘good values’ are lacking beyond the geographical limits of this alliance. Empirically, this article will focus on NATO's policy engagement in the Middle East and its strategic concerns with ‘threats’ of terrorism, conflict, fragility and instability emanating from the region that undermine the freedom and security of the NATO states.

中文翻译：

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北约和全球颜色线

本文探讨了北约在维护 WEB Du Bois 所说的全球“肤色线”（即世界的种族划分）方面的作用。从形式上看，该组织将自己视为一个防御性联盟，专注于维护其成员国的自由和安全。然而，在揭示国际关系的种族化基础和运作的著作的基础上，我认为这种看似防御性的愿望是以一种对抗性的、种族化的全球秩序概念为前提的，这相当于杜波依斯所设想的“肤色线”。一方面，它以大都市观念为前提，即自由、安全、稳定、人权、民主和法治等价值观是跨大西洋联盟乃至全球北方的内生价值。此外，将自己定位为抵御这些价值观威胁的防线也意味着在该联盟的地理范围之外缺乏这种“良好价值观”。从经验上看，本文将重点关注北约在中东的政策参与及其对来自该地区的恐怖主义、冲突、脆弱性和不稳定“威胁”的战略关切，这些威胁破坏了北约国家的自由和安全。