Establishing a Decolonising Network

Decolonising the Discipline is a collaborative initiative undertaken jointly by colleagues at the English Association, the Institute of English Studies, the University of East Anglia, the Postcolonial Studies Association and University English. It aims to develop platforms for discipline-wide conversations that can foster and support collaborative action across English literature, language and creative writing.

This work is called decolonising the discipline to draw attention to the breadth of activities and stakeholders that are gathered under the banner of English Studies. We are committed to building a network of interventions, to gathering and sharing ideas, and to providing strategies and resources for collective and individual action.

For more information about the Decolonising the Discipline project, to join our network and to share your own experiences in decolonising work please visit our website.

The first online seminar, Establishing a Decolonising Network, took place on Friday 25th September.  Along with over 150 colleagues, we shared experiences of establishing institutional or cross-institutional decolonising network; the role and experience of students in decolonising; the challenges to developing a decolonising network; and reflections on what the Decolonising the Discipline network can do next.

Watch a recording of the seminar on YouTube

Programme

2:00-3:00 Welcome, Session 1, Chair, Anshuman Mondal, University of East Anglia

1. Developing a Decolonising Network: A Grassroots Approach

Arzhang Pezhman is a third year fully funded, creative-critical PhD student in the School of Literature, Drama and Creative Writing, University of East Anglia

Surya Simon (AFHEA) is an international, third year fully funded PhD student in the School of Literature, Drama and Creative Writing, University of East Anglia

2. ‘Establishing a Decolonising Network at University of Birmingham, and in our disciplines’ *

Dr Asha Rogers is a Lecturer in Contemporary Postcolonial Literature, University of Birmingham

Dr Fariha Shaikh is a Lecturer in Victorian Literature, University of Birmingham

3. ‘Decolonising the Curriculum at Brighton University: Students and Staff working in partnership’

Dr Vedrana Velickovic, Principal Lecturer in English Literature, Brighton University

Dr Vy Rajapillai, Senior Lecturer in English Language and Media, Brighton University

and Rebecca Inniss, a student from the Decolonising the Curriculum Group at Brighton University

3:00 – 4:00 Session 2, Chair Katherine Baxter, University of Northumbria

1. Importance of belonging, microaggressions and bias in the curriculum.

Paulette Ennever, Decolonising the Curriculum 4 Educators (DCT4E)

2. ‘Knowing Outside of English: Decolonisation at York’.

Dr Shazia Jagot Lecturer in Medieval and Global Literature, University of York

Alexandra Kingston-Reese is Lecturer in Contemporary Literature, University of York.

3. ‘We Must Listen to Our Students’

Fabiha Askari co-chair of the “Why is My Curriculum White?”, Decolonisation Campaign, Lancaster University

Dr Liz Oakley-Brown, Senior Lecture in Premodern Writing, The Department of English Literature and Creative Writing, Lancaster University

 

* Not included in the video