Black Sister Network celebrates new book: Inside the Ivory Tower

Black Sister Network celebrates new book: Inside the Ivory Tower

A research project led by BBA founder Dr Deborah Gabriel, was published 10 Nov by Trentham Books as a collection of autoethnographies, edited by Dr Gabriel and BBA patron Prof Shirley Anne Tate.
The book, which has taken three years to complete from conception to publication; features the autoethnographies of ten women academics of colour: Dr Deborah Gabriel, Prof Shirley Anne Tate, Prof Claudia Bernard, Dr Jenny Douglas, Dr Josephine Khwali, Dr Ima Jackson, Prof Heidi Safia Mirza, Dr Elizabeth Opara, Aisha Richards and Dr Marcia Wilson.
The book was launched at a VIP event in Central London organised and hosted by Shades of Noir – an independent programme at UAL that focuses on race in the creative arts sector developed and led by Aisha Richards – a contributor to the book.
The launch featured all ten academics who shared their insights gained from the research journey, and a keynote speech by Dr Gabriel. In her speech, Dr Gabriel argued that lessons must be learned from the book, which demonstrates that current race and gender equality initiatives are woefully inadequate.
Dr Gabriel outlined four critical steps that must be taken by higher education institutions and HE sector organisations to address raced and gendered inequalities in academia – and shared how Black feminism was not only used to theorise their experiences – but shaped their approach to the research process.
The book is available from Amazon priced at £24.99 and two further book events will be held on 6 December at Birmingham City University and 16 December at the Open University.

Read endorsements and feedback & check upcoming book launches on the Ivory Tower page