A scholar who withdrew from a PhD at the University of Cambridge alleging ¡°structural racism¡± has accused UK higher education institutions of focusing on gender equality at the expense of racial justice.

Indiana Seresin, a white researcher whose work draws heavily on black studies, quit her doctorate in literature and cultural studies after witnessing what she described as a series of ¡°racist incidents¡±.

Outlining her reasoning in a , she expressed concern that academics at Cambridge failed to recognise the ¡°widely accepted principle¡± that different rules applied to white and black scholars when it came to using the N-word.

She also raised concerns about how a lecture by a visiting Ghanaian scholar?that she characterised as ¡°a lucid and straightforward analysis of the way racism¡­function[s] in academia¡± was described as ¡°controversial and provocative¡± by a senior Cambridge academic who said ¡°he couldn¡¯t quite wrap his head around it¡±, an approach Ms Seresin said was ¡°foolish¡± and ¡°undermine[d]¡± the speaker.

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Speaking to?Times Higher Education, Ms Seresin accused Cambridge and other institutions of filling their halls with ¡°what you call ambassadors for diversity and inclusivity, who contribute nothing to ¨C or even prohibit ¨C racial justice and usually focus on improving the situation of white women¡±.

Her decision to leave came from a place of privilege, she added. ¡°It allowed me to share details of what I had witnessed¡­an option not available to current students and staff as well as alumni, who would probably feel unsafe doing so.¡±

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While Ms Seresin urged people to focus their attention on these institutional problems rather than her quitting, she acknowledged that the publicity surrounding her ¡°possibly¡­might help shame the university into taking this issue more seriously¡±.

In terms of how Cambridge should change, this should be decided by those directly affected by racism, she said.

¡°As a white researcher whose scholarship draws significantly on black studies, I believe that I need to earn the right to do this work,¡± said Ms Seresin. ¡°I also believe that the ethical and intellectual integrity of my research was compromised by the fact that it was situated at Cambridge. This is particularly true because, as a white student, I benefited from the structural racism of the university.¡±

In response, Cambridge said that it ¡°strives to create a culture free from racism, discrimination, prejudice and harassment¡± and that it had ¡°introduced a number of prevention initiatives and anonymous, informal and formal reporting options to make it easier for staff and students to call out and report any form of harassment or discrimination¡±.

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rachael.pells@timeshighereducation.com