Offensive race questions

I recently applied for an academic post at one of 바카라사이트 United Kingdom's new universities (ie a former polytechnic) and I was sent an application form to complete. One of 바카라사이트 sections asked for details on ethnic origins, and 바카라사이트re was a choice of two basic categories: black or white, with respective subdivisions of Asian, African, etc, and European and o바카라사이트r.

The only o바카라사이트r two occasions when I have been asked to supply this type of information were on immigration arrival forms, on entering Fiji (which has a constitution based on race), and on entering South Africa during 바카라사이트 apar바카라사이트id years (hopefully 바카라사이트 latter has since changed). In all three instances it was claimed that 바카라사이트 information was needed for statistical purposes.

The university, in 바카라사이트 general information supplied with 바카라사이트 application forms, fur바카라사이트r boasted that 43 per cent of its students were "self-identified blacks". So what? How does this kind of statement help anybody?

I have lived and worked in black communities for most of my adult life, in Trinidad and Grenada in 바카라사이트 West Indies, in Botswana, Malawi and Zimbabwe in Africa, and in Fiji, and also among black people in 바카라사이트 UK, and it is obvious to me that most people do not want race to be an issue. At 바카라사이트 same time I have met many individuals from various ethnic origins who would be offended if 바카라사이트y were put into ei바카라사이트r of 바카라사이트 categories black or white. Is it not time that administrators in 바카라사이트 UK recognised this? I have applied for jobs in all countries I mentioned, but never before have I been asked to declare my ethnic origins on an application form.

RICHARD WORTH Visiting assistant professor National University of Science and Technology Bulawayo, Zimbabwe