Richard Tavernier

Profile

I am a Lecturer in Sociology & Social Policy, also the Director of the BA Social Science programme which works with non-traditional students returning to Higher Education.

An element of my role is to coordinate academic outreach engagement with schools and colleges. Furthermore, I am member of the Network of Networks (BME staff) in Higher Education and a former Trustee of The Racial Justice Network. 

University Staff Awards

2015. Awarded the Patrick Macartney Prize for Citizenship (Staff)

The prize, voted for by staff and students in the School of Sociology & Social Policy, is in memory of former colleague Patrick Macartney who worked in the school for many years.  Alongside a dedication and enthusiasm for teaching, Pat embodied the idea of ‘citizenship’ in the School, working above and beyond his role, always making time for students and staff alike.  Sadly Patrick passed away in 2011.  Whilst his contribution is irreplaceable, this Prize commemorates him and also celebrates current colleagues and students who also embody Pat’s unique way of caring beyond what’s expected

2016. Awarded the University Partnership Award (Personal Tutor)

This award celebrates the exceptional staff, students and researchers at the University of Leeds

2018. Awarded the University Partnership Award (Mentor)

This award celebrates the exceptional staff, students and researchers at the University of Leeds

2018. Awarded the Faculty Partnership Award (Positive Impact)

This award celebrates the exceptional staff, students and researchers at the University of Leeds

2018. Awarded the Faculty Partnership Award (Overall Partnership Award)

Given to the person deemed to have had an exceptional impact.

2019. BA Social Science Programme Awarded the Faculty Partnership Award

This award celebrates the exceptional staff, students and researchers at the University of Leeds.

Critical Race, Critical Whiteness and Critical Mixed Race studies forms the main element of my teaching.

Undergraduate dissertation supervision

Although my main dissertation supervisory topics fall within the areas of Critical Race Theory, Critical Whiteness Theory, Critical Mixed Race Theory, Migration and in particular Asylum Seekers/Refugees, I do supervise a quite diverse area of topics:

• Why isn’t my curriculum diverse and inclusive? A response to the ‘Why isn’t My Curriculum White?’ campaign.
• The British Criminal Justice System: An investigation into the absence of ‘race’, ‘whiteness and ‘white privilege’ in racial awareness training programmes for lawyers.
• The Control and Commodification of the Black Body: The Journey From Chattel Slavery to Mass Incarceration
• Hostile Shores: A study into British xenophobia, nationalism and racism since 1793
• The 21st century alien in mainstream education: The `Refugee`
• White women `on` Black men
• Critical Analysis of the Mixed Race Experience  In a “Raceless” Society - A Norwegian Case Study
• White British and Arab Mixed race identity
• Colorism: How it Affects The Lives of Black Women
• ‘It’s Not Everyone’s Cup of Tea’: A Sense of Belonging among Working-Class, Black-British Males in ‘Elite’ University Residence Halls
• How are ethnic minorities represented in comedy film and sitcom? And why does the genre of comedy allow for negative representations to be shown?
• Since the 2001 ‘race riots’ in Bradford and the following report by Ted Cantle, has community cohesion progressed in Bradford in terms on the recommendations made in the Ted Cantle report ? And whether these recommendations have been implemented?
• Do British Newspapers Affect Attitudes Towards Immigration?
• Racists, Rappers, ‘Wiggas’ and a ‘Cursed’ Label of Solidarity: A Study into the Opinions of Young British Adults on the ‘N-Word Debate’.
• Is our identity something which we have the freedom to create or is it purely socially constructed?
• From the perspective of the professionals involved in the children’s social care system, how far is a child’s offending behaviour determined by their pre-care experiences in comparison to the residential care setting? How far does a child’s pre-care experiences determine them exhibiting offending behaviour in residential social care?
• Catfish: How and why do people use false identities in online chat rooms and social networking?
• ‘I’m not a normal student’; assessing the effectiveness of Widening Participation in relation to the student experience.
• Male Anorexia Nervosa and Muscle Dysmorphic Disorder.
• Dying to be thin: A Female Problem? An Evaluation of Male Anorexia Nervosa

Responsibilities

• Director of BA Social Science Programme
• Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Lead
• Advisor to Historically Black Colleges and Universities Network (HBCU`s)

Research interests

*Critical Mixed Race Studies. My research focuses on second, third and fourth generation of `Mixers` with an emphasis on the `Whitening process`, `Denial of Blackness`, `Black Shame` and the overt use of `White Privilege`.

*What makes an `Ideal` Non-Traditional Student?: The journey from application to graduation. This works looks at 10 years of data in every aspect of the non-traditional students journey.

Decolonising the Curriculum, Why is My Curriculum `Still`  White and Internationalisation in the 21st Century.

<h4>Research projects</h4> <p>Any research projects I'm currently working on will be listed below. Our list of all <a href="https://essl.leeds.ac.uk/dir/research-projects">research projects</a> allows you to view and search the full list of projects in the faculty.</p>

Qualifications

• BA (Hons) Sociology & Social Policy
• MA (Hons) Racism & Ethnicity

Research groups and institutes

• Centre for Ethnicity and Racism Studies