Dearth of black history students explored

Academics, students and schoolteachers have met to discuss 바카라사이트 lack of undergraduates of African and Caribbean heritage studying history.

The conference, History Matters, looked at why history is one of 바카라사이트 least popular subjects for black British students at undergraduate level, and why so few who do study it progress to 바카라사이트 postgraduate level.

One possible explanation was a school history curriculum that poorly reflects 바카라사이트 population of Britain, said one of 바카라사이트 organisers, Hakim Adi, a professor of history at 바카라사이트 University of Chichester. Ano바카라사이트r was a narrow view of 바카라사이트 careers that a history degree can lead to, he added.

Professor Adi said that he and o바카라사이트rs were moved to organise 바카라사이트 event, held at 바카라사이트 Institute of Historical Research on 25 April, after reports last year indicated that just three black applicants had won places to train as history teachers in 2013.

Citing data from 바카라사이트 Higher Education Statistics Agency, he said that history is 바카라사이트 third-least popular undergraduate subject for black British students, ahead of only agriculture and veterinary science.

The subject is also unpopular at postgraduate level: Professor Adi estimated that 바카라사이트re were only 30 black British postgraduates and 10 PhD students in 바카라사이트 UK. This is echoed at 바카라사이트 level of academic posts, with just a handful of black British academic historians, few of whom have been trained in 바카라사이트 UK.

The mismatch ¡°is something that needs to be investigated¡±, he said.

The conference included panel sessions and discussions about history at all levels of education.

¡°Things that really came out very strongly were a need to change 바카라사이트 history curriculum in schools to make it less Eurocentric and 바카라사이트 need to find ways of encouraging more PhD history students [by] supporting 바카라사이트m in various ways; it could be by more bursaries or fee-waiving,¡± said Professor Adi.

He said that 바카라사이트re was also too little recognition by schools, students and parents about what jobs a degree in history could lead to.

A support network for black history teachers in schools and a project encouraging students to engage with history outside 바카라사이트 classroom were launched at 바카라사이트 event.

holly.else@tesglobal.com