In Shakespeare and Early Modern Studies there is significant under-representation of faculty of colour employed in permanent positions in UK universities. There are various reasons for this: institutional racism in higher education; unconscious and conscious bias in selection of candidates for study and employment; lack of opportunities for students of colour to progress to postgraduate study; lack of funding opportunities; absence of networking and socialisation opportunities for postgraduates of colour; and Shakespeare and early modern literature/drama is not consistently presented in schools and universities as an inclusive site of enquiry.
The Early Modern Scholars of Colour Network is an anti-racist collective that will aim to address some of these challenges while working to nurture and enable students, ECRs and academics of colour to develop academic and pedagogic networks; find and create intellectual spaces that are inclusive and progressive; and enable inclusive practices in the discipline through mentoring. Some of our key objectives include:
Raising awareness and calling for accountability for anti-racist structures at academic institutions
Offering and facilitating mentorship for scholars of colour
Supporting the research and professional development of scholars of colour
Devising and supporting projects that actively engage with communities to create pipelines for undergraduate students of colour to enter postgraduate studies in our disciplines
Promote the study of race and social justice issues in fields of pre-modern literature and history
The Early Modern Scholars of Colour Network is not only anti-racist but is also firmly anti-oppression and anti-exclusion. Membership is open to all who share the anti-racist principles. It is open to individuals, departments and institutions. It welcomes scholars who would like to provide allyship and actively work towards creating a more inclusive community of scholars. Logistic and administrative support will be provided to the network by the London Shakespeare Centre, a centre of the Arts & Humanities Research Institute at King's College London, and Shakespeare's Globe. The network will be steered by (in alphabetical order): Shani Bans (UCL), Nour El Gazzaz (RHUL), Prof. Farah Karim-Cooper (KCL/Globe), Wendy Lennon (BHAM), Hassana Moosa (KCL), Prof. Lucy Munro (KCL), and Dr. Will Tosh (Globe).
If you would like to register your interest in this network and its activities or offer any suggestions please do so here: https://forms.gle/PsRbSAttQzGDAhdN9
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfMANAA5heOhzcDnsxkz6e2NoDO6DywDgLlHHel_UQPJhrSxw/viewform
You can also get in touch with the network directly at emscolour@gmail.com and on twitter @EMSColourUK
We are excited to begin work to create positive transformation in the fields of Shakespeare and Early Modern studies in the UK.