Dr Amena Amer has been awarded one of six British Academy/Wolfson Fellowships to Early Career Researchers across the UK. Her project looks at the experiences of female Muslim students and staff in British universities and how they navigate and negotiate their identities within these academic spaces as a result. “This is an interesting and important topic” Amena explained, “Because despite universities often presenting themselves as inclusive spaces, research recognises that students and staff of colour often describe feeling isolated at universities and struggling to fit in. The intersection of race/ethnicity, and other identities such as gender and religion, further compound these experiences with detrimental consequences for success, retention and progression. Yet, much research fails to unpack these nuances which are important for understanding the complexity of experiences before taking steps to improve outcomes.”
As issues of equality, diversity and inclusion currently feature highly on university agendas, the project comes at an opportune time to address these challenges. It will draw on qualitative methods (interviews and Photovoice) to explore the experiences of female Muslim students (Undergraduate, Postgraduate and Research) and academic staff in UK universities and aims to generate new knowledge in understanding how the interplay between ethnicity, religion and gender impacts experiences and shapes outcomes. It will also identify important insights for developing more inclusive university environments, positively influencing experiences for students and staff, and increasing aspirations for further study and pursuing an academic career.
“I’m grateful to my mentors, both at Greenwich and beyond, and to the ILD for their support and constructive comments making the proposal what it is. I’m excited to get started!” Amena shared. As part of the project, Amena will be mentored by and collaborating with Professor Russell Luyt, Dr Aarti Iyer (University of Sheffield), Dr Akile Ahmet (LSE) and Alaa Alsaraji (Freelance Artist).
We wish Amena all the best with her new project and look forward to following its progression.
