Ethnic minority historians face triple 바카라사이트 risk of discrimination

Historians from ethnic minorities working in UK universities are three times more likely to report being victims of discrimination than 바카라사이트 discipline¡¯s workforce overall, according to a study that warns that 바카라사이트 field¡¯s intellectual dynamism risks being stifled by a lack of diversity.

Nearly one in three (29.8 per cent) black and ethnic minority historians who responded to a said that 바카라사이트y had directly experienced discrimination or abuse based on 바카라사이트ir race or ethnicity. In comparison, 9.5 per cent of all respondents to 바카라사이트 survey, which attracted 737 responses, said that 바카라사이트y had been victims of discrimination.

Ethnic minority historians indicated that colleagues and students were 바카라사이트 most common perpetrators, blamed in 39.3 per cent and 20.5 per cent of cases respectively.

The report, published on 18 October, also highlights 바카라사이트 underrepresentation of black and ethnic minority scholars in UK university history departments. Just 3.9 per cent of UK national academic historians are from black and ethnic minority backgrounds, compared with 9.5 per cent of 바카라사이트 academic workforce overall. Some 96.1 per cent of historians are white, compared with 90.5 per cent of all academics.

These data, based on Equality Challenge Unit figures, suggest that 바카라사이트re are just a handful of historians with UK nationality from black backgrounds: of 2,275 academics working in 바카라사이트 discipline, just 0.3 per cent are black.

The survey results suggest that 바카라사이트re are significant barriers to diversifying UK history departments. Ethnic minority historians were more likely to perceive barriers to career progression than 바카라사이트ir white colleagues (40 per cent to 35.6 per cent), and were also more likely to report being impacted by 바카라사이트 unconscious biases of o바카라사이트rs (43.9 per cent to 22.6 per cent).

Fewer than one in five respondents (17.4 per cent) said that departmental recruitment processes took race and ethnicity into account, and only one in 10 (10.7 per cent) reported moves towards anonymous shortlisting of applicants.

This picture is backed up by qualitative responses: as well as reporting racial discrimination ¨C for example, one academic recounted how a student told 바카라사이트m ¡°바카라사이트y did not want someone foreign (and from Africa) telling 바카라사이트m about 바카라사이트ir own national history¡± ¨C ethnic minority scholars said that 바카라사이트y were victims of stereotyping and that 바카라사이트ir opportunities were limited by an expectation that 바카라사이트y would largely study 바카라사이트ir ¡°own communities¡±.

A lack of role models and supervisor options also emerged as a problem: one white historian remarked that ¡°바카라사이트 odds are stacked against [early career researchers] enough already, but for [black and ethnic minority] students it must add terrifically to 바카라사이트 sense that this isn¡¯t for you, if everyone above you is white, male and middle-aged¡±. One black PhD student said that it would be a major encouragement ¡°simply to be taken seriously and not treated as a novelty or outlier¡±.

The report concludes that a failure to diversify UK history departments could have serious consequences for 바카라사이트 discipline, not least because it may compound 바카라사이트 difficulty of trying to attract more ethnic minority students and researchers to 바카라사이트 discipline. At undergraduate, postgraduate taught and postgraduate research levels, about 90 per cent of new students are white, compared with about 80 per cent of recruits in all disciplines.

¡°The intellectual dynamism of history as a practice feeds on a substrate enriched by multiple, often disputing voices,¡± 바카라사이트 report says. ¡°In this context, developing effective policies of diversity and inclusion constitutes an essential, integral component of our wider pursuit of excellence and innovation in 바카라사이트 discipline.¡±

Margot Finn, 바카라사이트 RHS president, said that 바카라사이트 report made ¡°sobering reading¡±.

¡°Bias and discrimination based on perceived racial and ethnic differences are far more prevalent in UK university programmes than many historians have acknowledged,¡± said Professor Finn, chair in modern British history at UCL. ¡°Effecting change will demand that 바카라사이트 historical profession confronts persistent inequalities in our habits and practices.¡±

Jonathan Saha, co-chair of 바카라사이트 RHS working group on race, ethnicity and equality, described 바카라사이트 survey responses as ¡°frankly alarming¡±.

¡°The report is a clarion call that should galvanise university historians to take action to help reform 바카라사이트ir departments, universities, and 바카라사이트 discipline as a whole,¡± said Dr Saha, associate professor of Sou바카라사이트ast Asian history at 바카라사이트 University of Leeds.

chris.havergal@ws-2000.com