[Last modified: December, 5 2024 10:00 PM]
The political dimensions of my study lie in its ability to interrogate and challenge the structures, policies, and ideologies that shape social dynamics in educational spaces and beyond. These dimensions operate on multiple levels, including institutional practices, societal power structures, and broader discourses on identity and inclusion. The study is inherently political because it examines how institutions and individuals navigate kinship, race, identity, and belonging in a space like UCL, which is deeply influenced by historical, cultural, and political forces.
UCL’s historical ties to colonialism and imperialist ideologies—such as its association with figures like Francis Galton and eugenics research—underscore the importance of critically examining race and kinship in this context. This investigation calls for a reckoning with UCL’s colonial legacy and its ongoing implications for diversity and equity. It also critiques the effectiveness of the university’s diversity and inclusion initiatives, questioning whether these efforts genuinely foster integration or merely function as symbolic gestures. Moreover, it raises broader societal questions about access to higher education, the persistence of systemic barriers, and who truly belongs in academic spaces.
This research inherently challenges the notion of universities as neutral spaces. Instead, it reveals how they are deeply embedded in and perpetuate societal power dynamics. By highlighting racial and kinship dynamics, the study serves as both a critique and a call to action for UCL and similar institutions to address structural inequalities and reimagine inclusive practices.
As a Black woman conducting this study, my positionality is deeply political. It challenges the norms of who is seen as a legitimate producer of knowledge about race and kinship and offers a perspective that disrupts dominant narratives. My identity not only informs the questions I ask but also positions me as an advocate for more equitable and inclusive academic spaces.