University of Bristol

Bristol is an ideal city in which to explore the themes of arts and social change. Having won the 2015 European Green Capital Award, it has a vibrant culture of arts and grassroots activism, and a rich history that includes radical and progressive traditions, and diverse communities. Bristol’s economic history raises important challenges of social justice which are salient in the city today.   

Bristol played a major role in the transatlantic slave- trade and colonialism. The city’s historic role in slavery and colonialism has had significant material, economic and cultural legacies today in the Caribbean, Africa, Asia, Europe and the Americas, and in Bristol itself. Bristol’s complex history and diverse contemporary cultures make it an opportune place for US students to learn about the social worlds of Britain and Europe, and from which to gain a deeper understanding of our shared global histories.   

Founded in 1876, the University of Bristol is currently ranked 54th globally and 9th in the UK. It is committed to a spirit of academic excellence and research that addresses some of the most pressing and universal global issues.  

Students will investigate how literature, music, visual arts, poetry and storytelling, dance, philosophy and critical social theories have shaped movements for social justice across the globe, with particular attention given to racial justice and the legacies of slavery.  

The summer school focuses on six overlapping themes:

• Racial justice and slavery 
• Colonialism and independence 
• Global feminisms 
• Migration and refugees 
• Environmental sustainability 
• Health and well-being

The academic programme will include: 

• Creative, hands-on workshops with artists, entrepreneurs and activists from the thriving arts and voluntary sectors of Bristol.
• Academic seminars and discussion sessions. 
• Involvement in a variety of community and civic activities across the city.

Participants will study and complete coursework alongside current University of Bristol students and other international students, learning valuable insights from their peers and working collectively to further their understanding of contemporary realities and the topics and themes being discussed. They will also work closely with the course/module leaders who will provide direction, guidance and feedback to the participants – both as a group and individually.   

The University of Bristol will organise an orientation session for the participants to formally inaugurate the programme as well as a city tour to help students orientate themselves. At the end of the programme, there will be a farewell meal, to which will be invited the key stakeholders who have worked with the participants over the previous three weeks. 

In addition, the University of Bristol will organise a variety of social and cultural outings. 

Bristol is located in a vibrant and historical part of the UK. Cultural excursions accessible from Bristol include: 

• Theatre night at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre (the oldest continually operating theatre in the UK) 
• The UNESCO World Heritage Site Roman Baths in Bath 
• A day-trip to Oxford or Cardiff 
• A visit to any of Bristol’s award-winning museums, including the SS Great Britain, the M Shed, the Georgian House Museum, or the Red Lodge Museum
• An evening spent by the harbourside or taking a ferryboat around the harbour