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- Convenor:
-
Angela Haynes
(University of Sussex)
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- Chair:
-
Althea-Maria Rivas
(SOAS University of London)
- Discussant:
-
Helina Shebeshe
(SOAS University of London)
- Format:
- Experimental format
- Stream:
- Decolonization and knowledge production
Short Abstract:
This is an experimental workshop for researchers of African descent, or working on race and development, that interrogates what means to research, teach, study and implement development initiatives as a person of African descent or when we take race seriously. Non-traditional presentations welcome.
Description:
There is a dearth of Black academics in the UK. The HESA report (2020) showed that <1% of UK professors are Black, dispelling the myth of a colour-blind meritocracy. In development studies and practice Black scholars and professionals have often found their views marginalised in an environment where a commitment to social justice and lately decolonising is tacitly professed. The House of Commons report into racism in the aid sector (2022),concluded 'racism manifests in the very structure of international aid'. The UN Decade for People of African Descent, BLM and the murder of George Floyd have contributed to a period of self-reflection about the manifestations and impact of racism globally. But now at the end of the UN Decade (2024) what does it mean to research, teach, study and implement development initiatives?
This workshop will examine these issues from the perspective of scholars whose positionality is Black, or those researching race and development. It will be a safe space to discuss experiences and strategies for navigating the development space while Black and/ centering race. Examples of key questions for consideration are:
-How do Black researchers and development practitioners experience the development sector or discipline?
-How does a commitment to social justice within development teaching, research and practice manifest when taking race seriously?
-What is the relationship between reparations, restitution, and development?
-Why isn't my professor Black?
This experimental fireside workshop welcomes traditional presentations and creative works, poetry, spoken word, personal reflections, etc. Early career researchers are particularly encouraged to participate.
Accepted contribution:
Session 1Contribution short abstract:
In this workshop, I bring my full self— a young Black African Ghanaian woman and scholar navigating U.S. academia where my identity often takes precedence. Through self-advocacy, I examine the biases encountered to reclaim my narrative, and emphasize the importance of creating space for marginalized
Contribution long abstract:
Silence! That was my default approach in many spaces. An internalized belief that my voice, my experiences, and my insights did not matter. As an African navigating U.S. academia, I often questioned whether my contributions would be heard or valued. Yet, as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. envisioned a future where individuals are judged not by the color of their skin but by the content of their character, I too long for a world where Black scholars and practitioners in development are recognized, included, and valued.
But what is the cost of my silence? Thus, through my PhD research, I refuse to be silent. My work focuses on Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education for girls in Ghana. An issue deeply tied to race, gender, and development. Despite STEM’s critical role in development, Black women, particularly in Africa, remain systematically marginalized, with Ghanaian women holding only 25% of STEM jobs. This exclusion is not just a gender issue; it is a racialized development challenge that demands urgent attention.
STEM education is often framed as a neutral tool for development, yet systemic inequities persist in who gets access, support, and recognition. So, I ask, what does it mean to research STEM education while Black? How do we confront the racial and gendered barriers that shape who is included in STEM advancement? Through this workshop, I hope to challenge dominant narratives, highlight racialized disparities in STEM, and advocate for an inclusive development agenda that truly amplifies Black voices in STEM.