Kehinde Andrews

Kehinde Andrews
Name	Kehinde Andrews
Birth date	1983
Birth place	Birmingham, England
Occupation	Academic, author, broadcaster
Alma mater	University of Manchester, University of Birmingham
Employer	Birmingham City University
Known for	Black Studies, anti-racism, decolonisation

Kehinde Andrews is a British academic, author, and broadcaster known for his scholarship on Black British history, anti-racism, and decolonisation of higher education. He is a professor at Birmingham City University and a prominent public intellectual who has written for and appeared on outlets including The Guardian, BBC Radio 4, and Channel 4. His work intersects debates about structural racism, colonialism, and the politics of race in the contemporary United Kingdom.

Early life and education

Andrews was born in Birmingham, England and grew up during the political contexts shaped by figures and events such as Margaret Thatcher, the Brixton riots, and debates following the Scarman Report. He completed undergraduate and postgraduate studies at institutions including University of Manchester and University of Birmingham, where he engaged with scholars and texts linked to Frantz Fanon, Stuart Hall, Edward Said, Angela Davis, and bell hooks. His doctoral research intersected with histories of Windrush scandal-era migration, diasporic networks connecting Nigeria, Jamaica, and Trinidad and Tobago, and intellectual traditions emerging from Black Power movements and Pan-Africanism.

Academic career

Andrews joined the faculty of Birmingham City University where he helped establish the first Black Studies programme in the United Kingdom at a university level, interacting with departments and initiatives across institutions such as University of Oxford, University of Cambridge, Goldsmiths, University of London, SOAS University of London, and University College London. He has supervised doctoral candidates whose research engages with archives housed at institutions like the British Library, the National Archives (United Kingdom), and museums including the Victoria and Albert Museum and the Imperial War Museum. Andrews has participated in collaborations with organisations such as the Runnymede Trust, Institute of Race Relations, Equality and Human Rights Commission, and community groups inspired by campaigns like Black Lives Matter and the Rhodes Must Fall movement.

Scholarship and major works

Andrews's scholarship includes monographs and edited volumes that converse with traditions from scholars such as W. E. B. Du Bois, C. L. R. James, Aimé Césaire, Antonio Gramsci, and bell hooks. His books address themes including institutional racism in institutions like the Metropolitan Police Service, the legacy of British Empire, and curricular reform in universities like University of Birmingham and Durham University. In journal articles and chapters published in venues aligned with publishers such as Routledge, Palgrave Macmillan, and Bloomsbury, he analyses case studies from locations including Birmingham, London, Leeds, and international sites like Chicago and Johannesburg. His work engages archival sources relating to figures such as Marcus Garvey, Harriet Tubman, Olive Morris, and movements including Notting Hill Carnival's cultural politics. Andrews advances methodologies informed by activists and theorists linked to intersectionality (rooted in Kimberlé Crenshaw's work), critical race studies from the United States and abolitionist thought originating in networks tied to Abolitionist movement histories.

Public engagement and media presence

Andrews is a regular commentator on platforms including BBC Radio 4, Sky News, Channel 4, and in print for The Guardian, The Independent, and New Statesman. He appears at public forums organised by institutions such as the British Library, Tate Modern, Museum of London, and university lecture series at King's College London and Manchester Metropolitan University. Andrews has participated in debates alongside public figures like Stuart Hall's intellectual successors, activists from Black Lives Matter, politicians across parties such as the Labour Party and Green Party (UK), and journalists from outlets including The Telegraph and Financial Times. He uses social media platforms to discuss campaigns linked to the Windrush scandal, the removal of statues such as Edward Colston, and curriculum changes advocated by student movements at universities like Oxford and Cambridge.

Views and controversies

Andrews argues for radical restructuring of institutions implicated in histories of colonialism and white supremacy, advocating for programmes modeled on international initiatives in places such as South Africa and United States. His public comments have provoked responses from commentators in outlets such as The Daily Mail, The Spectator, and Spiked Online, and led to exchanges with politicians including members of the Conservative Party (UK). Debates around his calls to abolish or reform policing institutions have been situated in broader controversies involving inquiries like the Macpherson Report and campaigns responding to incidents such as the Stephen Lawrence murder. Critics have debated his use of terms drawn from theorists like Frantz Fanon and Angela Davis, while supporters cite his engagement with community organisations, trade unions such as Unison, and cultural workers involved in festivals like Notting Hill Carnival.

Awards and recognition

Andrews has received recognition from academic and public bodies including nominations and awards associated with organisations such as the British Academy, the Royal Historical Society, and civic honours from regional bodies in West Midlands. He has been listed in media compilations of influential thinkers and commentators compiled by outlets such as The Guardian, BBC, and New Statesman, and has been invited to lecture at international centres including Harvard University, Columbia University, and University of Toronto.

Category:British academics Category:Living people