University's axing of black studies MA threatens inclusion agenda, warns leading academic

Leading US civil rights scholar Kimberlé Crenshaw has warned Birmingham City University (BCU) that its decision to close the MA in black studies and global justice carries "dangerous parallels" with extremist campaigns against diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) in the United States. The professor of law at the University of California, Los Angeles and Columbia University expressed "profound concern" about plans to withdraw the postgraduate course just months after its launch. The decision has sparked debate about the place of black studies within higher education curricula and the protection of diverse academic programmes during challenging financial periods for universities. The controversy raises important questions for local education leaders about how universities within their regions are safeguarding inclusive curricula and whether declining diversity in higher education provision could impact the aspirations and pathways of young people from black and minority ethnic communities.