PPSUK ParPolity Talk 1
I am currently a research fellow in psychology at the University of Exeter. Broadly, my research focuses on how people think, feel, and act in relation to political and moral issues. I also have a more applied interest in developing evidence-based interventions around important social issues (i.e., equality and diversity, the environment, etc.) Finally, I have an ancillary interest in the philosophy of mind (social cognition) and science (psychology). My academic, and activist, interest in the above originally stems from my own experiences of group-based dominance (racism) growing up in the UK. Learning about social psychology (prejudice, stereotypes and intergroup relations) and black (African) history, scholarship, "race", ethnicity and culture led me to generalize my experience to other, albeit unique, forms of oppression in society. My interest, moral inclination and admiration for those that worked for social change pushed me towards activism. Reading Chomsky, Fannon, Malcolm, and Albert and Hahnel were formative experiences for me and pointed the way towards activism and rational inquiry into human affairs/social issues. I have been involved in African/African-Caribbean community groups in London and have enjoyed several years of mentoring young people. These experiences were important as they highlighted the importance of institutions and other social processes - in terms of affecting young peoples' behaviour and abilities. This practical day-to-day experience just reinforced my social psychological understanding and added to my academic interests and passion for more participatory institutions.