What is Black British Feminism?

Black British Feminism and Education

In this course, Professor Heidi Mirza (Goldsmiths, University of London) explores Black British Feminism, its history and core ideas, and its relationship to the study of education. In the first lecture, we look at the origins of the Black British Feminist movement, focusing particularly on how it differs from the broader Black Feminist and Feminist movements. In the second lecture, we think about Black Feminist theory, and especially its central concept of intersectionality. In the third lecture, we consider how Black Feminist ideas can inform our understanding of racial and gender discrimination in education. Next, we look at how this discrimination shapes the educational experiences of Black and migrant girls. In the fifth and final lecture, we examine Black Feminist activism through the prism of Professor Mirza’s notion of the “quiet riot”.

What is Black British Feminism?

In this lecture, we think about the origins of Black British Feminism, focusing in particular on: (i) why it emerged as a movement distinct from both Black Feminism, which developed in the USA, and Feminism more broadly; (ii) the meaning of the term “Black” in the movement as encompassing women from African, Asian, and a range of other backgrounds; (iii) the importance of Black and Asian women to the history of British Feminism, and their exclusion from this history; (iv) some key “founding mothers” of the movement, such as Claudia Jones, Olive Morris, and Jayaben Desai.