Building the Anti-Racist Classroom: Research Mentoring Pop-Up

23rd November 2020

NEW RESCHEDULED DATE

The Building the Anti-racist Classroom (BARC) collective is inviting academic researchers and students working on research projects to a ‘pop up’ workshop to share and discuss ideas, methodologies, and writing. This event recognizes two important things: 1) that the environment of higher education is racialised, representing both challenges and opportunities to those seeking to learn and advance knowledge, and 2) that the skills and networks necessary to become interested in and engaged with research are cultivated throughout the academic journey. By offering a space in which academics and students come together on equal terms, we seek to build intergenerational structures to support future researchers, thinkers, and leaders.

This one-day event, hosted online via Zoom at the University of Bath School of Management, builds on previous work that BARC has been doing over the past two years in building communities among scholars of colour, students of colour, and the staff in higher education that support us. BARC has previously facilitated workshops in London, Kent, Middlesex, and Leeds and we hope to join up this growing network with the South West.

The necessity of mentoring and safer spaces is well evidenced for ‘BME’ staff and students (Bhopal, 2019), and is especially important in recent times where across the globe racism is becoming more explicit and the political environment hostile. If you are engaging in research as a member of staff or as a student at any level working on essays, reports, or research projects, and you would benefit from this, please come along! If you’re interested, but not sure it’s for you - get in touch with us for a friendly chat.

11:00 - 11.30 Welcome from BARC, creating a principled space, and sharing intentions

11:30 - 12:30 Guest Speaker and discussion: addressing the challenges and opportunities of conducting research in a racialised environment

Anamika Misra, Assistant Lecturer and PhD Researcher at Kent Law School, researching on the law of armed conflict, counter-terrorism, and emerging technologies. Member of the former Decolonise University of Kent and creator of the UoK Decolonial Walk.

We will discuss issues that arise, such as:

• How is our knowledge and writing shaped, or mis-shaped, by academia?
• How can we make space for marginalised forms of knowledge in academia?
• How can we nourish intergenerational support networks?
• What strategies can we adopt at personal, interpersonal, and community levels to survive and thrive in our areas of study?

12.30 - 13:00 Break for lunch, optional social activities

13:00 - 14:00 Bring-your-research questions

Reflecting on an essay, paper, or dissertation plan that you are working on, please think about one key element of the research process that you are currently struggling with, or feel like you could improve. We will match participants and mentors into supportive groups for discussion in breakout groups, and feed back our co-developed strategies to the community.

14:00 - 15:30 Poetry reading and workshop on engaging with creative writing!

Leilah King, female footballer and poet, based in Bristol. Her poetry explores her Iranian heritage and her time there, conveying a nostalgic and visual fondness for Iran’s rich culture and landscapes. Her work grapples with life’s turmoil making light of family, love, and sexuality. Find out more at @leilahkingpoet on Instagram.

There are limited places, but registration is free. In the event that the workshop is oversubscribed priority will be given to people working on projects to further anti-racist practice in higher education. Register here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/128039867691

Email us with enquiries: [email protected]

Bhopal, K. (2019) ‘Success against the odds: The effect of mentoring on the careers of senior Black and minority ethnic academics in the UK’, British Journal of Educational Studies. Routledge, pp. 1–17. doi: 10.1080/00071005.2019.1581127.