'Black Studies' is an academic field that focuses on the perspectives, experiences, and contributions of the African diaspora. Kehinde Andrews views it as a space outside of the mainstream. Because of a long history of erasure, it has remained outside of the university for decades. While departments and programs of Black Studies have long existed in the Americas, the development of the field is quite recent in Europe.
Black studies’ epistemological commitment is to build a radical community of practice that spreads beyond academic institutions and into community organisations. This is achieved by using the resources of the institution to work for the community. One criticism against the institutionalisation of radical politics is that institutions change people while people do not change institutions. So, what does it mean to fight for Black studies within mainstream institutions like the university? How to stay radical within an institution? Is it possible to break barriers between the university and the community? Can academics be trusted to do the radical work?
Kehinde Andrews is a British academic and author specialising in Black Studies. He is Professor of Black Studies in the School of Social Sciences at Birmingham City University led the establishment of the first Black Studies programme in Europe. He is founder of the Harambee Organisation of Black Unity, and co-chair of the UK Black Studies Association.