Relevant Links
The Power and Privilege in Academia podcast series is organised by the Black and Brown in Bioethics (BBB) organisation, which aims to achieve racial equity within the UK bioethics community. The series is supported by the Ethox Centre (University of Oxford) and funded by the University of Bristol and Research England.
The series explores the intersecting dynamics of power and privilege in academic spaces, and engages with a wide spectrum of related themes including anti-racism, disrupting hierarchies, inclusivity in publishing, representation and research culture, gaps within public and community engagement, and the role of legacies, narratives, and identities in shaping academic belonging.
Each episode is hosted by one of the BBB co-founders, Harleen Kaur Johal, Matimba Swana, or Kumeri Bandara, and features conversations with one to three academics working on different forms of social justice. Through these dialogues, the series seeks not only to illuminate entrenched structures of power and privilege, but also to imagine more inclusive and equitable futures within academia. The series was produced and audio engineered by Faiq Habash, with original music by Qasim Ashraf (kxtone), and business administration by Nicholas Pitt.
| # | Episode Title | Description | People | Date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | Creative Commons | Representation and Research Culture – a US Perspective | Professor Keisha S. Ray joins us for a cross-continental conversation on representation and research culture, in which we explore the experiences of racially minoritised researchers working on both sides of the Atlantic. Recorded in July 2023. | Harleen Kaur Johal, Keisha S. Ray | 04 Jun 2025 |
| 6 | Activism and advocacy as a postgraduate | Prof Patricia Kingori, Dr Agomoni Ganguli-Mitra, and Dr Ayesha Ahmad join Kumeri Bandara to explore the opportunities, challenges, and complexities of postgraduate-led activism and advocacy in academia. Recorded on 12 June 2023. | Patricia Kingori, Agomoni Ganguli-Mitra, Ayesha Ahmad | 28 May 2025 | |
| 5 | Creative Commons | Legacy and Identity: Redefining Dentistry With Antiracist Approaches | Dr Eleanor Fleming reflects on untold histories, antiracism in dentistry, and the role of legacy in shaping identity, practice, and space within academia and beyond the walls of the university to include the communities we serve. Recorded 30 Aug 2024. | Eleanor Fleming, Matimba Swana | 20 May 2025 |
| 4 | Creative Commons | Beyond the Ivory Tower: Public Engagement, Class, and Access in Research | Dr Peter Winter and Dr Alan Chamberlain join Matimba Swana to explore elitism in research, the barriers to public engagement and why making research more inclusive and accessible is essential for meaningful community participation. Recorded 11 Oct 2024. | Peter Winter, Alan Chamberlain, Matimba Swana | 12 May 2025 |
| 3 | Creative Commons | Challenging the System: Anti-Racism in Higher Education | Hend Rashed and Princess Banda join us to explore race, equity, and liberation in UK academia, sharing insights on dismantling institutional racism and reimagining what anti-racist education can truly look like. Recorded on 5 July 2023. | Hend Rashed, Princess Banda, Matimba Swana | 30 Apr 2025 |
| 2 | Creative Commons | Disrupting hierarchies to transform academia and medicine | Annabel Sowemimo and Amaka Offiah share powerful insights on dismantling hierarchies in academia and medicine, exposing the myths of meritocracy and the urgent need to transform education and healthcare systems. Recorded on 31 July 2023. | Annabel Sowemimo, Amaka Offiah, Matimba Swana | 30 Apr 2025 |
| 1 | Inclusivity in Publishing | Dr Agomoni Ganguli-Mitra and Dr Sabrina Germain discuss the injustices, barriers, and challenges faced by minoritised academics in the publishing world, and the changes needed. Recorded on 6 June 2023. | Agomoni Ganguli-Mitra, Sabrina Germain, Kumeri Bandara | 23 Apr 2025 |