A prominent US civil rights scholar has urged Birmingham City University (BCU) to reverse its decision to discontinue its Black studies master's programme, drawing a parallel with the assault on diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives in the United States.
Kimberlé Crenshaw speaks out
Kimberlé Crenshaw, a professor of law at the University of California, Los Angeles and Columbia University, expressed “profound concern” over the plan to withdraw the MA in Black Studies and Global Justice, which was launched only months ago. In a statement shared on social media during her UK book tour, Crenshaw described the decision as an “escalating assault on Black Studies” and an “ideological, extremist-led campaign that has now explicitly travelled across the Atlantic.”
Crenshaw warned: “The systematic dismantling of Black studies in the United States is mirroring a dangerous parallel in the United Kingdom, where the discipline now faces the threat of total erasure. It remains absolutely essential that the truth regarding the history, contributions, perspectives and lived experiences of Black people in Britain and across the global diaspora is preserved, taught and championed.”
She characterised Black studies as an “essential space of critical inquiry” and noted that the community built around the subject at BCU was “globally renowned.”
Course closure details
The MA programme is scheduled to be withdrawn from September following a review of the university’s postgraduate portfolio. BCU has stated that the decision was driven by low student recruitment, with only eight students currently enrolled. This follows the controversial closure of the university’s undergraduate Black studies programme in 2024.
Academics have warned that Black scholarship is being disproportionately affected by cost-cutting measures across higher education. Crenshaw asserted: “This dismantling is not merely an institutional realignment; it is a direct attack on the production of critical knowledge.”
Reactions and support
Professor Kehinde Andrews, a leading commentator who pioneered the programme, previously told the Guardian that staff and students were given no meaningful opportunity to challenge the decision. An open letter calling for the closure to be reconsidered has garnered support from academics, politicians, and cultural figures including Professor Kalawant Bhopal, Akala, Yomi Adegoke, and Marsha de Cordova.
A spokesperson for BCU previously stated that a small number of postgraduate courses would be cut due to low demand, but that existing students would be able to complete their studies. The university also said it was consulting affected staff and “exploring opportunities for alternative provision.”
