The Society for the Study of Labour History joins the Social History Society and many other organisations and individuals in regretting the announcement by the University of Chichester to suspend recruitment to two important history programmes, the unique MRes in the History of Africa and the African Diaspora and the BA Modern History.

In axing these programmes, the University of Chichester has placed two highly respected historians and engaged higher education teachers at risk of redundancy: Professor Hakim Adi and Dr Dion Georgiou. Both Professor Adi and Dr Georgiou deliver globally oriented teaching, drawing their own diasporic backgrounds to do so.

The Society for the Study of Labour History stands in solidarity with colleagues at the University of Chichester affected by these proposed cuts. We see this decision as yet another worrying sign of the devaluing of the historical profession and the arts and humanities in general. We call on our member to add their voices to the campaign to prevent the closure of these degrees.

You can sign the two petitions set up in protest and/or sign the open letter here:

Petition · Stop University of Chichester’s axing of the MRes History of Africa & the African Diaspora · Change.org

Petition · Stop the axing of the Modern History at the University of Chichester and staff redundancy · Change.org

Open letter · MRes History of Africa and the African Diaspora – An Open Letter of Solidarity from Academics,  Heritage and Information Professionals

See also our statement of 27 May, 2021: We fear for the future of labour history, labour historians and the next generation of students.