Decolonising the University: Engaging students and activists in HE inquiry

Dave S.P. Thomas presents:

Thomas, D.S.P. & Jivraj, S. (eds), (2020). Towards decolonising the university: A Kaleidoscope for empowered action. Oxford: Counterpress. https://counterpress.org.uk/publications/towards-decolonising-the-university/

Traditional social science research is just one component of change-making in the academy. Advances in racial equality have only come through difficult and sustained intellectual, emotional, cultural and political work by those who have been historically marginalised in the academy. This seminar will showcase a project at the University of Kent that was part political movement, part institutional change intervention, part autoethnographic research and fully grounded in critical race theory. Dave S.P. Thomas, a doctoral student in HE himself, will provide insights on how to co-produce knowledge with BAME students, researchers, activists, and practitioners to advance both knowledge and systemic change. He will reflect on students’ rich accounts of their explorations of intersectional experiences with fellow students and consider implications of this work for HE researchers and practitioners.