Race, Ethnicity and Equality at the Royal Historical Society
The Royal Historical Society (RHS) published its report, Race, Ethnicity & Equality in UK History, in October 2018. The Report highlighted racial and ethnic inequalities in the teaching and practice of History in the UK.
The 2018 Report drew attention to the underrepresentation of ‘Black and Minority Ethnic’ (BME) students and staff in university History programmes, the substantial levels of race-based bias and discrimination experienced by such historians in UK universities, and the negative impact of narrow school and university curriculums on diversity and inclusion. The report, a key component of the Society’s 150th anniversary programme, was founded upon a year of research and a survey of over 700 university-based historians.
Along with the two subsequent Roadmaps published in 2019 and 2020, the 2018 Report offers relevant, practical advice and guidance for academic historians on taking positive action to address and diminish barriers to equality in the discipline.
In June 2024, the Society published an Update to Race, Ethnicity & Equality in UK History. This extends the data on representation and attainment by BME History students and academic staff to 2022 — currently the latest date for which figures are available. The Update also reviews recent developments in teaching provision for Black and Asian History and summarises recent and current work undertaken by the Royal Historical Society as an agent for reform, with obligations to effect positive change at the levels of the individual, department and sector.
The Royal Historical Society continues to provide practical support where it’s most needed and impactful—often in partnership with organisations with shared aims. This work takes many forms, and continues to develop and evolve in response to circumstance. Further information on current projects is available here.
See below for Society reports relating to race, ethnicity and equality (2018-24)
Recent blog posts on Race, Ethnicity and Equality
Introducing the Modern Endangered Archives Program (MEAP)
In this post Dr Vincent Hiribarren introduces the Modern Endangered Archives Program (MEAP), which seeks to preserve and digitise archives in regions that lack the necessary resources to do so. He discusses the opportunities this program provides for historians...
On Writing a Historiography of Western Sport in Colonial India
In 'The Limits of the History of Western Sport in Colonial India', Subhadipa Dutta offers a historiographical review of the history of Western sport in colonial India. Here Subhadipa explains how she came to her subject as a PhD researcher, and how her research...
Windrush 75: UK History-related events in June 2023
22 June 2023 marks the 75th anniversary of the arrival of HMT Empire Windrush at Tilbury Docks in Essex. The ship brought to Britain just over 800 passengers who had left the West Indies, the great majority of whom sought to settle and begin new lives in the...
Social History From the Global South: New Voices from Southern Africa. Reflections on British Academy Funded Writing Workshop, University of the Free State, South Africa.
In February 2023, the University of the Free State, South Africa, hosted the workshop 'Social History from the Global South: New Voice from Southern Africa', funded by the British Academy. This workshop was organised to address the issue of research output in...
‘Historical Research in the Digital Age’, Part 5: ‘Digitising History from a Global Perspective; and what this tells us about access and inequality’
In this post we continue our series — ‘Historical Research in the Digital Age’ — which explores historians’ use and understanding of the digital tools and sources that shape modern research culture. The series explores the impact and implications of digital...
Teaching the early modern Islamic World
In July 2022, Peter Good received one of two Jinty Nelson Teaching Awards given annually by the Royal Historical Society. In this post, for the Society's 'Teaching Portal', Peter reflects on his classroom practice, and how he seeks to communicate the histories...