The History of Art department joins with the rest of the university and the wider community in expressing its anger and sorrow over the recent racial violence we have all witnessed in the United States. That sorrow is joined by frustration that the spectre of racism continues to haunt the United Kingdom, in word and deed, leading to fear and prejudice and denying equal opportunities to many in our society. This is a moment when we all need to reflect on our own complicity in the current state of affairs, and actively seek ways to demonstrate our tolerance and respect for difference and diversity. As a department, we need to ensure that both our recruitment procedures and our teaching embrace that diversity and ensure fairness for all. As art historians, we need to think about how our own practices address themselves to these same issues. Representation is a key issue in both propagating racism and advocating for justice. In this context, our skills in analysing images and debating their meanings and significance have never been more crucial. The questions we ask in our research, and the ways in which we engage with and listen to others, manifest within the microcosm of academia the kind of society in which we would all like to live.
