University of Bristol: Black Humanities

The Fulbright Black Humanities Summer Institute at the University of Bristol is a three-week cultural and academic programme, inviting students to examine the histories, creative production and intellectual legacies of Africa and its diasporas that weave through contemporary debates around race and the humanities.

Consciously anchored in Bristol, a city with roots deep in the histories of Transatlantic slavery and colonialism, radical thought and resistance and a vibrant cultural scene, the Summer Institute encourages students to explore the cycles and circuits that connect the city to broader national and global dialogues around race and the humanities.

 

The Fulbright Black Humanities Summer Institute at the University of Bristol is a three-week cultural and academic programme, inviting students to examine the histories, creative production and intellectual legacies of Africa and its diasporas that weave through contemporary debates around race and the humanities.

This programme is open to students from any academic background with an interest in learning about the rich and diverse artistic and intellectual histories of Africa and its diasporas.

Participants will be hosted by the unique and world-leading Centre for Black Humanities in Bristol, a city with roots deep in the histories of Transatlantic slavery and colonialism, radical thought and resistance. The interdisciplinary Summer Institute invites participants to explore the cycles and circuits that connect the city to national and global dialogues around race and the humanities.

Participants will engage with key thinkers and issues across a range of fields – from film, visual culture and music to history and literature.

The course will begin by asking ‘What is Black Humanities?’ before going on to address themes such as history and memory, Black feminisms and the cultural and intellectual legacies of Black radical thought. 

Through these sessions participants will gain critical insight into pressing social questions – from the current resurgence of the Black Lives Matter Movement to debates around the legacies of the Transatlantic slave trade and the demonisation of Critical Race Theory.

 

Highlights

 

During this Summer Institute participants will:

  • Learn about the rich history of cultural and intellectual innovation across Africa and its diasporas through an interdisciplinary and humanities-based lens.
  • Develop key transferrable research skills from critical reading and viewing to hands-on experience in archives.
  • Engage key cultural sites in the city of Bristol and its environs.
  • Understand how important debates in society today are deeply rooted in histories of race and radical thought.
  • Engage with important thinkers and texts in the Black Humanities.
  • Examine historical constructions of race and racialised identities.
  • Develop presentation, communication and teamworking skills.

The course description, aims, intended learning outcomes, and teaching and assessment information can be found in the University’s Unit Catalogue.

More Information

16 June to 6 July 2024

Participants will stay in a University of Bristol hall of residence near the main University precinct. Accommodation will be in single rooms and includes laundry facilities, social and study spaces and wi-fi. Accommodation is usually provided at the West Residential Village and participants have traditionally stayed in Manor Hall.

Meals are included with accommodation on a half-board basis: breakfast and either lunch or an evening meal. Participants are expected to source and pay for the other meal of the day. 

The cost of travel and cultural events which are undertaken as part of the Institute will be covered by the University of Bristol. Please note that this is a city-based programme, and students will move around on foot or by bus for some sessions. It can be physically demanding at times. 

On completion of the programme, an official University of Bristol transcript will be issued to form a part of the participant’s academic record and a single grade will be allocated. Participants who successfully complete the Summer Institute will be awarded with 10 University of Bristol credits, suggested as equivalent to 3 US semester credits. 

More UK Summer Institutes: