The move follows an open letter addressed to the faculty written by Cambridge University Student Union Women’s Officer Lola Olufemi and signed by over 100 students. “For too long, teaching English at Cambridge has encouraged a ‘traditional’ and ‘canonical’ approach that elevates white male authors at the expense of all others,” the letter said. The English Faculty’s Teaching Forum, an institution for staff to discuss the curriculum and teaching issues, discussed a number of actions to address students’ concerns. BME topics should “cease to be 'optional' in a Faculty where complete coverage of 'English literature' is otherwise mandatory”, said Dr Gopal, who specialises in colonial and postcolonial literature. What is important is that the English Faculty responded to student demands and that is the right way to go.”Other faculties at Cambridge, including lecturers in the Social Sciences, have also been discussing ways to ‘decolonise’ the university, The Telegraph reports.

Source: bd News24 October 25, 2017 04:30 UTC