The concept of Intersectionality was born from a need to identify that while all black people suffer discrimination and all women suffer discrimination, black womens’ lived experience due to other structure bias, exacerbates the effects of this discrimination. (Crenshaw, 1990). Structural and personal bias affects anyone whose intersectionality make them vulnerable to discrimination by the patriarchy; be it race, class, ethnicity, gender, age, disability, sexual preference, but in this blog I argue that racism has been problematised and not tackled as distinct from other forms of inequality.
The latest figures in the most recent UAL EDI report reveal the percentage of B.A.M.E staff is 25.5% (8% percent higher than the educational section benchmark). What does this really mean in terms of representation? Is it evidence that racial bias is being tackled through employment practices? After all BAME is a controversial term. It covers a broad church.
One of the most impactful anti-racism training sessions I have ever attended was in 1986 when I first moved to London from Northern Ireland. I was working in an Adult Education Advice Centre. We were a small team of 6, all women and I was the only white woman. These women were from Caribbean and East African dissent. The trainer was a Pakistani man. A key reveal for me was when in response to the question; are you comfortable to describe yourself as an Ethnic Minority? I was the only participant who said yes. It was pointed out to me that I could be British until I opened my mouth, but the others would always be defined by their colour and classed as a minority whether they were British born or not. Racism is based more on colour than nationality.
I was reminded of this when Diane Abbot was accused of racism when she suggested in an interview in the Observer that many white people, with points of difference, experience prejudice but do not experience day to day racism (BBC news). Why did this statement cause such controversy? Why is racism still so embedded in western culture? Why is talking about the direct impact of racism more problematic than talking about inequality and inclusion?
Two research papers that examine the shifting manifestations of racism question how far public discourse on the subject has dealt with the effects of racism. Sambaraju & McVittie looking at racism from a social psychology perspective posit the view that there has been a public suppression of racism (2021, P.4). The paper cites examples where campaigns to make racism explicit meet with negative responses that are framed in terms of egalitarian concerns rather than prejudicial motives. One such example cited in this paper is All lives Matter, (West et al, 2012). Supporters of this movement view themselves as being more inclusive than Black Lives Matter but they are explicitly downplaying the role of racism in the killing of George Floyd that led to the creation of this movement, (2021, P.7).
Lin highlights the use of critical race theory (CRT) to identify racist inequalities and bias in the design and delivery of some academic subjects. However, her paper highlights incidences where ‘colourblind ideology’ has denied the existence of racism in health studies, computer science, sports, business and religion (2022, P. 1086). If a problem is not visible it is easier to ignore and harder to speak out against. Anti-racism needs to be explicitly about race not just diversity when considering inclusive policy, pedagogy and our own practice.
BBC (April 23, 2023) Diane Abbott suspended as Labour MP after racism letter available at: https://www.bbc.co.uk › news (Accessed 30th May)
Crenshaw, K. (1990) Mapping the Margins: Intersectionality, Identity Politics, and Violence against Women of Color https://moodle.arts.ac.uk/pluginfile.php/2020062/mod_folder/content/0/Crenshaw%201990%20Intersectionality.pdf?forcedownload=1 (Accessed 25th April)
Lin J.P.C. (2022) Exposing the chameleon-like nature of racism: a multidisciplinary (available at https://www.researchgate.net › publication Accessed 2nd June)
Sambaraju, R. & McVitte, C. (2021) Mobilizing race and racism: visible race and invisible racism (Accessed 5th June)
UAL EDI annual report (2024) Available in: https://www.arts.ac.uk/about-ual/public-information/equality-objectives-and-reports (Accessed 30th June)
Hi Frances,
This is a thought provoking piece of writting and a really enjoyable read. I like how have intertwined your personal experiences wuth the sources referenced to make your point clear.
I have been reading this book, also available online that you find interesting to have a look at and add to your references.
https://www.waterstones.com/book/white-fragility/robin-diangelo/9780141990569
It may not be feasible but the one suggestion I would make is to consider tying in what you have written to your practivce at UAL, perhaps some UAL data or reference to their EDI policy.
Hi Emilia
as always, thank you for your comments. I will definitely have a look at the book you recommend. Might be one we suggest to UAL library. I have taken on board your suggestion and have incorporated a reference to the latest EDI data. There is always just to much to say and too few words!!
What stands out most in your post is the strength of its critical argument, grounded in both personal experience and wider socio-political context. The point that really stayed with me was the one arguing that anti-racism must be explicitly about race, not just broader diversity. It raises an important question: is this a moment where intersectionality, as a tool, risks diluting the urgency of race-specific action? Do we sometimes need to centre a single axis of identity to maintain clarity and impact?
You considered B.A.M.E employment figures of the UAL EDI report, which were also a part of my argument however I also looked at the current figures of B.A.M.E population in the country and in 2021 this was at 17%. So, in terms of representation of the country’s population this universities’ numbers should be sufficient, yet we know they are not, as in this field we need to be more representative to provide the ethnical identification reflected in staff for each classroom, each cohort.
Is race the most important element of intersectionality to upheave the whiteness of the academic institution, to pave way for change? Afterall, the impact of BLM opened the doors for many minorities to follow.
Hi Miklai
Thank you so much for your comments and the suggestion that I actually provide a critical argument! I get anxious sometimes that I let my passion for these discussions over ride my critical reflections. As always, I wrote this blog and then thought….should have explained this better. Hence the joy when you picked up the point about the need to talk explicitly about race. There needs to be a direct challenge to what race is. Concepts of race and superiority have a long tradition, often couched in the language of pseudo science and used to underpin lots of atrocities; slavery, eugenics…Institutions and large parts of the general public are reluctant to admit that European Enlightenment is based on a very dodgy and dangerous premise. In my opinion!
Hi Frances,
Thank you for such a powerful and thought-provoking post.
Your example about “All Lives Matter” being positioned as more inclusive, when in fact it ends up diluting the urgent, specific context that gave rise to “Black Lives Matter.” I’d never quite seen it framed that clearly before, it really made me pause.
It reminded me of what I was trying to express in my own blog about UAL’s anti-racism language, how terms like “diversity” and “inclusion” can sound progressive but often end up being vague or depoliticised. Like you pointed out, if we don’t name who is being harmed and how, then the language risks becoming a soft way to avoid harder truths.
This also made me reflect on how often well-meaning institutions choose “neutral” language to appear objective, but in doing so, they erase the very specificity that anti-racism work needs. Your post gave me lots to think about, especially in terms of how I navigate these tensions in my own teaching.
Hi Rebekah
thank you for this feedback. I have so enjoyed getting in conversation with you during this term. Hopefully we can continue next term.
I do worry about how language is used to detract from on going social issues. We need to move past statements of intent. There is also an issue when people are afraid to be frank about their own views (unless hateful of course!) for fear that their comments will be taken out of context. I don’t follow twitter but I believe it is all very shouty.