Diversity and Inclusion

We are committed to ensuring inclusion and diversity across all IES events, summer schools, taught courses, and committees (including our Advisory Council), and we have growing research expertise in this critically important field. Dr Christopher Ohge, for example, works on British anti-slavery literature and networks of transatlantic anti-slavery publishing.  And Sarah Churchwell, Professorial Fellow in the Institute, has long supported events about diversity and issues around slavery and colonialism in her work as Director of the Being Human Festival.  In the wake of the Black Lives Matter protests and the toppling of the Colston statue in Bristol, the Being Human team published a blog post that collates resources from organisations, initiatives, and resources from across the humanities that may be useful to people looking to decolonise curricula and/or to educate themselves and others on the issues. The English Association also has produced an Anti-Racism statement.

Dr Sarah Pyke, a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the Institute of English Studies whose research is funded by the University of London Convocation Trust, is developing a series of practical recommendations on equality, inclusivity, diversity and accessibility in English Studies, in collaboration with members of the IES community. She is also working closely with the wider Decolonising the Discipline network, together with colleagues from University English, the English Association and the Postcolonial Studies Association, to support discipline-wide conversations and decolonial praxis across English literature, language and creative writing.

IES events and diversity and inclusion
The IES is committed to enhancing diversity and promoting equality of opportunity amongst staff, students, and event delegates. One of our key priorities is to reflect these principles in our events, and to promote greater inclusivity at all events in which the IES is involved. The IES expects event organisers/convenors to commit to these principles and to make every effort to uphold them when planning an event with the IES and we have produced a Best Practice Guide for Inclusive Events document for event organisers.

University of London and diversity and inclusion
Please find the latest updates from the University’s Race Equality Group here.

Find out more: IES and Decolonising the Discipline