The Rural Racism Project team are pleased to invite you to a forthcoming series of three webinars hosted by the Centre for Hate Studies at the University of Leicester, where we will be sharing key findings from The Rural Racism Project: Towards an Inclusive Countryside – a two-year study funded by The Leverhulme Trust.
This research represents one of the most comprehensive investigations to date into the lived experiences of racially minoritised communities in rural and semi-rural areas of the UK. Through this series, we aim to open a dialogue with academics, practitioners, policymakers, and community organisations about the implications of our findings and opportunities for collaboration to drive meaningful change.
You are welcome to attend any or all sessions. Please note that each webinar requires separate registration. Click on the individual links below to register for each session.
Webinar 1: Unpacking Experiences of Hostility in the Countryside
Date: Wednesday, 10 September 2025
Time: 5:00 – 6:00pm BST
Platform: Microsoft Teams
Registration link: https://buytickets.at/centreforhatestudies1/1813588
Drawing from 115 semi-structured interviews and numerous informal conversations with minoritised individuals, White rural residents and White allies actively engaged in anti-racist work across England, this session will:
- discuss how racism is experienced and what are the impacts,
- explore attitudes of white rural residents towards diversity and inclusion,
- highlight good practice examples of anti-racism in rural communities and suggest ways of creating a more inclusive countryside.
This event will include:
- A short presentation of key findings by Dr Rachel Keighley
- A panel discussion led by Dr Amy Clarke and Dr Rachel Keighley, featuring Dr Tahaney Alghrani and Rae Preston, both research participants
- An open Q&A session with all attendees
Webinar 2: Unpacking Expressions of Hostility through Histories, Symbols and Creative Interventions
Date: Wednesday, 17 September 2025
Time: 5:00–6:00pm BST
Platform: Microsoft Teams
Registration link: https://buytickets.at/centreforhatestudies1/1813594
Drawing from a collection of creative contributions including photos, poems and videos produced by our Community Research Partners, this session will:
· Examine how histories of empire and exclusion shape countryside spaces,
· Highlight the value of arts-based and creative approaches in addressing racism,
· Create space for lived experience, critical reflection and hopeful re-imaginings of rural belonging.
This event will include:
- A short presentation of key findings by Dr Viji Kuppan
- A panel discussion led by Professor Corinne Fowler and Dr Kuppan, featuring writer Peter Kalu and Beth Collier, two of our community research partners
- An open Q&A session with all attendees
Webinar 3: Unpacking the Backlash: Exploring Public Attitudes Towards Rural Racism
Date: Wednesday 24September 2025
Time: 1:00 – 2:00pm BST
Platform: Microsoft Teams
Registration link: https://buytickets.at/centreforhatestudies1/1813603
Drawing from eight case studies, this session will explore the forms and impacts of backlash that often arise when discussing race and racism in rural spaces in England. The session will examine:
- Why exploring the ‘backlash’ towards discussions about ‘race’, racism and the countryside is important,
- What examples of backlash have been identified throughout this research,
- What are the catalysts for these examples of backlash?
This event will include:
- A short presentation of key findings by Dr Adrian Yip
- A panel discussion led by Professor Neil Chakraborti, featuring Professor Corinne Fowler and Dr Adrian Yip
- An open Q&A session with all attendees
