Law School Antiracism Activities 2026

In response to numerous reports of various forms of racism, the Law School, through its Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Committee, affirms that racism is unacceptable within the law school environment. As part of that effort, since 2024 we have regularly scheduled a number of activities every year especially in TB2. This is part of the Committee’s commitment to actively identify and oppose racism. These activities focus our attention on ways that racist ideas and actions may implicitly and explicitly be perpetuated in our school – and what we can do to stop them. While these activities are tailored mainly for law school students, all members of the University of Bristol are welcome.

The Law School at the University of Bristol has a reputation for being at the forefront of combating racism through its curriculum. Many of our taught units have a component that speak to this, including foundational units such as Land Law and Criminal Law. We do know that there is still work to be done.

We are taking a slightly different approach to our activities in 2026, to accommodate the time constraints of semestarisation as well as the general state of affairs locally, nationally and globally. Our aim is to deliver a programme that mixes a diverse collection of activities, rather than delivered only as a standalone series of events.

Activities for TB2 2026:

  • In Week 19, from 2nd of March: short (5-10 minutes) asynchronous online interactive activities, incorporating a mindfulness/reflective elements. This will be available to all members of the Law School. Other students and staff of the University of Bristol can request enrolment onto the Blackboard Course by emailing Foluke Adebisi foluke.adebisi@bristol.ac.uk.
  • In Week 20 on the 11th of March:  'Place to Heal: a roadmap for safe and dignified housing for survivors of torture’. This event will be examining the truth about law, migration and asylum seeking and is a joint HRIC, Anti-Racism Week and Freedom From Torture Event.  It will hold from 18:00 - 20:00, at the Lady Hale Moot Court Room, 8-10 Berkeley Square. Click the hyperlink to sign up. All are welcome.
  • In Week 21 on the 18th of March: ‘Building an Antiracist Law School.’ This is a staff-student conversation which will hold at 1.00–2.00 pm at the Coutts Lecture Room. 3.31, Wills Memorial Building. All are welcome.

3 Short Steps to Being Actively Antiracist

READ: Due to the absences of teachings on race, racism and empire in most education systems and structures, it may be difficult to understand, recognise and refuse racism when we see it.

Here are a few reading lists that can help:

An Anti-Racism Reading List

The Law and Race Film Club

Law, Race and Decolonisation: A video and essay teaching resource

ACT: As many people have argued, when it comes to combatting racism, reading can only take us so far. Eventually we will have to act. Action can take many forms, for example; reporting racism when we see it, intervening, working to include antiracist perspectives in our work, acting to ensure antiracist policies are introduced and implemented, etc.

The Irish Network Against Racism has some useful resources here, that can help to navigate what to do when we witness acts of racism.

Here are some University of Bristol support resources for anyone affected by racism.

Knowing Why We Act - Creatively stand with others for a better future for us all: Lila Watson is quoted as saying: “If you have come here to help me you are wasting your time, but if you have come because your liberation is bound up with mine, then let us work together.” Beyond concepts of allyship, antiracist work recognises the value of building a better world. To be anti-racist, we have to sit with the discomfort and put courage, compassion, and vulnerability over comfort. Antiracism also invites us to use our reading and our action to be creative about fostering new ways of thinking, being and doing in the world. Survival is being threatened on a planetary scale, through among other things the combined forces of global inequality, racial violence, and climate change. But as long as we are still here, as long as we can still breathe, we can dream of more beautiful worlds. Our presence on this earth is evidence that this is still possible. In the words of Gabriel Garcia Marquez “To oppression, plundering and abandonment, we respond with life.”

It should also be noted that in response to its own survey, the University of Bristol has set up a scheme of actions that includes a Reparative Futures programme, changing the logo to reflect ties with the trade in kidnapped and enslaved Africans, and introducing an antiracism course. You can find out more about the university’s programmes here.