Keynote Speakers: Professor Gargi Bhattacharyya and Professor Floya Anthias

Many different theories of race and racism have been employed in the UK educational context to enhance understanding of the role of race and ethnicity in educational experiences, policies, identities, achievements, and the overt and covert ways in which race discrimination operates, as well as how such discrimination can be countered and eradicated. Scholars, practitioners and activists have employed, drawn upon, adapted and combined critical race theory, postcolonial theories, critical whiteness studies, Marxism, feminism, theories of ethnic, cultural and social capital, poststructural theories of race, theories of social justice, theories of nationalisms, Afrocentrism, racialization, post-racial theories, theories of hegemony, theories of institutional racism, anti-racist and intercultural theories, intersectionality and others.

This wealth of work aims both to eradicate racism and race or ethnicity as a determiner of educational experience, as well as foreground race in the study of education where it is frequently silenced. Despite this, race still matters and racism is still present in education in the UK, and the politics of austerity have exacerbated racial inequalities, whilst somewhat paradoxically, education policies continue to be deracialised.

This one-day conference asks where are we now with theories of race, ethnicity and racism in education? What theories can help us understand the current context in education in the UK? How can we understand race, ethnicity and racism in educational policies, institutions, structures, assumptions and experiences? Are there theories, which are more useful in the UK context? Can theories be adapted from, or to, other cultural contexts, such as the US, Europe or Australia? Which theories are most useful to help us move towards the eradication of racism and a racially just society?

Programme

Theories of race and racism in UK education contexts

9.30am– Coffee and welcome

10-11am Keynote speech: Gargi Bhattacharyya, University of East London Learning to expect less: the continuing racisms of austerity education

11-11.30am Tait Coles, Dixons Academy Bradford, and Nasima Hassan, Cass School of Education and Communities, University of East London

Misrepresentation: A qualitative study on discourses on Islam, British values and identity affect British Muslim pupils in Bradford and East London

11.30-12pm Antonina Tereshchenko, Department of Education & Professional Studies, King’s College London

EAL-ness and cultural racism: Eastern European students as a new ‘other’ in English schools

12-12.30pm Darren Chetty, UCL Institute of Education

Black Teachers, English Schools: ‘Get on Board’, ‘Rock the Boat’ or ‘Jump Ship’?

12.30-1pm Lunch

1-2pm Keynote speech: Floya Anthias, University of East London

Race, race-making and racisms: quandaries and dilemmas of theory and practice

2-2.30pm Alecia Dunn, Teesside University

Whose side are you on? What does the interplay of educational experiences and ethnic identity development reveal about strategies for navigating successful school outcomes?

2.30-3pm Richard Race, University of Roehampton

Australia’s discrimination commissioner and integrationist applications to the ‘cultural literate dialogue’

3-3.30pm Jenny Robson, Cass School of Education and Communities, University of East London

Working with Roma children – through the lens of critical white studies