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Anti-Racism Working Group

This group was convened in January 2021 to promote active anti-racism in DPAG and improve the diversity of staff and students. Group members are volunteers with an interest in promoting race equality. This page will be regularly updated with a specific topic to help raise awareness of key issues around anti-racism and race equality. If you are committed to active anti-racism and would like to join the Anti-Racism Working Group, please email louise.cotterell@dpag.ox.ac.uk.

Image of a poster discussing a merit based approach to recruitment and how this is impacted by disparities in experience. Text reads as follows:Academic institutions aim to admit students and recruit staff on the basis of meritBut merit can only be assessed objectively in the overarching context of external factors, such as disparities in education, healthcare, personal finances, housing and the judicial system. 6 boxes describe some of the disparities that exist:1. Fewer Black school leavers (6%)attend a Russell Groupuniversity than White school leavers (11%). 2. A disproportionately small number of Black, Black-Mixed and Asian postgraduates are awarded UKRI-funded PhD studentships. 3. BAME applicants for academic positions in Oxford are half as likely to be successfulas White applicants. 4. Success rates for Wellcome Trust grants are lower for Black and BAME applicants (8.6% & 10.3%)tHan White applicants (16.1%). 5. BAME applicants have to send 60% more applications to get a positive response from an employer than White candidates. 6. Black workers with degreesearn 23.1% less on average than White workers (UK).There are links to previous posters to learn more, find out what can be done and learn how diversity makes science better: https://www.dpag.ox.ac.uk/work-with-us/equality-diversity-inclusion/anti-racism-working-group

Anti-Racism Resources October 2022: Diversity in a Meritocracy

We have already learned why diversity is important for performance and innovation. Here we explore how a focus on potential, rather than status, and an acknowledgement of privilege and bias, can support a meritocracy and lead to inclusive practices.

Image of a poster created to outline diversity makes science better. Engagement: When inclusivity is made a priority in the workplace, people feel more comfortable to engage.Decision-making: People with diverse backgrounds have unique experiences and perspectives, and because of this, they approach problems differently and ask different questions, leading to better decision-making.Communication: Many global health issues disproportionately affect underrepresented communities. A focus on diversity in research groups can ensure that people feel represented and have a voice. Diverse groups are also more likely to design unbiased solutions and can more effectively recruit and engage broad public audiences.Innovation & creativity: Diverse groups develop more innovative solutions, increasing the likelihood of scientific success and promoting competitiveness,

Anti-Racism Resources May 2022: Diversity Makes Better Science

Learn more about the benefits of diverse teams and how to improve diversity in the workplace.

This is an image of a physical poster created by DPAG's Anti-Racism Working Group and displayed on-site to link to this webpage. It reminds people of the actions they can take to address institutional racism, as outlined on this webpage.

Anti-Racism Resources January 2022: Institutional Racism

Here we consider the multiple impacts of institutional racism on people throughout their lives, and offer some suggestions for what we can each do to address this.

Anti-Racism Resources October 2021: What is Anti-Racism?

Anti-racism is the work of actively opposing racism by advocating for changes that promote racial equity in society. Here we consider what we can each do to become anti-racist.

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