More than 100 academics, writers and activists from all over the world have actually signed an open letter condemning plans to close an MA in Black studies and global justice at Birmingham City University (BCU), just months after it was first launched.The relocation follows the questionable closure of BCU’s undergraduate course in Black research studies in 2024, and has actually triggered cautions that Black research studies are being erased from UK higher education.Five Black members of staff are at risk
of redundancy, including Prof Kehinde Andrews, a leading commentator who originated the development of BCU’s Black research studies programme.Andrews stated he and four associates were called into a conference with just 24 hr’ notice to be told that a decision had actually been taken in February to shut down the MA. The university has actually blamed low recruitment. 8 trainees are presently on the MA course.Andrews added:”The MA only started this year, so they have offered it a couple of months before choosing to cut it, with no consultation with personnel or trainees. They have actually also confessed to not finishing an equality effect assessment.”He told the Guardian:” It truly has to do with erasure. The university must be ashamed.”Andrews has actually now written an open letter to the university’s board of governors, calling for the choice to be evaluated.
He declares the conduct of the university and its decision-making are “deeply flawed”and possibly discriminatory.UK universities are presently engulfed in a financial crisis and numerous have actually implemented widespread cost-cutting steps. There are claims, nevertheless, that cuts are disproportionately affecting Black scholarship.Andrews points out the case of Prof Hakim Adi, who was made redundant in 2023 by the University of Chichester, which cut his MRes on the history of Africa and the African diaspora, and explained it as” a distressing pattern “.
“In the US there is an attack on Black intellectual thought, in the UK there is so little of it available in college that the bigger problem is disregard. When we do manage to provide such courses they need to be supported, not stamped
out at the earliest chance,”Andrews composes in his letter to the board.Among the signatories to the letter is Prof Kalwant Bhopal, director of the Centre for Research in Race and Education at Birmingham University, who stated the closure of the BCU MA course”symbolizes a turn towards enhancing Eurocentric knowledge and Whiteness in which Black trainees and academics will no longer have the area to challenge structural, institutional and specific acts of racism in higher education.” This follows a pattern of previous courses which have closed down and is an attempt by universities to attack and silence Black intellectual scholarship strengthening White privilege.”Other signatories consist of reporter and author Yomi Adegoke, artist, author and activist Akala, Labour MP Marsha de Cordova and Nicola Rollock, professor of social policy and race at King’s College London, as well as academics from around the world.A university representative said that after a review of BCU’s postgraduate portfolio, a little number obviously– consisting of the Black research studies MA– would be withdrawn from September due to the fact that of low need, though current trainees would be able to complete their studies. “The university is checking out opportunities for alternative arrangement in each case. An assessment process is under way with afflicted staff to discuss the effect of the course closures and check out sensible choices to minimise functions at danger.”