Facebook Twitter Instagram
    Trending
    • Interview: Lewis Thompson, VP Sport
    • En Garde!
    • BUWRU Still on Top
    • Hidden Histories: With The Archaeology Society
    • Beabadoobee Concert Review: Welcome to Beatopia
    • Taylor Swift: Midnights Review – The Stories of 13 Sleepless Nights
    • Claire Concert Review: Claire Cottrill in Concert!
    • Is There Hope For Percy Jackson?
    Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube Flickr
    Seren
    • News & Politics
      1. Local News
      2. UK News
      3. Uni News
      4. World News
      5. Politics
      6. Comment
      7. Business
      Featured

      SABB Election: The Full Result Breakdown

      By Emily ReadMarch 20, 20210
      Recent

      Redevelopment plans and the culture of Bangor

      October 28, 2022

      Immediate closure of Menai Bridge following reports of structural integrity issues

      October 28, 2022

      Racial abuse victim calls for harsher sentencing following nightclub assault

      October 28, 2022
    • Arts & Culture
      1. Books
      2. Games
      3. Film
      4. Music
      5. TV
      6. Creative Corner
      Featured

      Bangor alumni podcast earns Hollywood cameo & BBC features

      By Amelia SmithMarch 7, 20210
      Recent

      Beabadoobee Concert Review: Welcome to Beatopia

      October 29, 2022

      Taylor Swift: Midnights Review – The Stories of 13 Sleepless Nights

      October 29, 2022

      Claire Concert Review: Claire Cottrill in Concert!

      October 29, 2022
    • Lifestyle
      1. Fashion
      2. Food and Drink
      3. Social
      4. Health and Beauty
      5. Travel
      Featured

      Country Highlight: The Netherlands

      By Emily ShoultsMay 6, 20220
      Recent

      Gilmore Garms

      October 28, 2022

      Fleeces and Funk

      October 28, 2022

      Cheerleading: Getting your kit together

      October 28, 2022
    • Discovery
      1. Science
      2. Environment
      3. History
      4. International
      Featured

      Brewing up a Storm: The History of Guinness

      By Emily ReadMarch 20, 20210
      Recent

      North Wales Ramblings

      October 28, 2022

      Hamza Yassin: The Hard Work That Is Making Luck Happen

      October 28, 2022

      Student’s Union Hosts Repair Cafe for Sustainability Awareness Week

      October 28, 2022
    • Sport
      1. Varsity 2019
      2. Varsity 2018
      3. Varsity 2017
      4. Varsity 2016
      5. Varsity 2015
      6. Varsity 2014
      7. Varsity 2013
        • Varsity 2013 Results
        • Varsity 2013 – In tweets
      Featured

      Bangor Muddogs’ American Football: a young woman finding her place

      By Jade HillMarch 23, 20210
      Recent

      Interview: Lewis Thompson, VP Sport

      October 29, 2022

      En Garde!

      October 29, 2022

      BUWRU Still on Top

      October 29, 2022
    • Students’ Union
      1. Union News
      2. Societies
      3. Volunteering
      4. Clubs
      Featured

      INTERVIEW: Be Period Positive

      By Caroline CartmillMarch 17, 20210
      Recent

      Interview: Lewis Thompson, VP Sport

      October 29, 2022

      En Garde!

      October 29, 2022

      BUWRU Still on Top

      October 29, 2022
    • Issues
      • Current Issue
      • This year’s issues
      • Last year’s issues
      • Seren Archive
      • Seren Teams
    Seren
    Home»Arts & Culture»REVIEW: An Evening with David Olusoga and Adam Rutherford

    REVIEW: An Evening with David Olusoga and Adam Rutherford

    0
    By Holly Peckitt on April 17, 2021 Arts & Culture, Books
    Share
    Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Email

    Photo by James Eades

    On 17th February, I was fortunate enough to be given a ticket to an online event – Dr David Olusoga in conversation with Dr Adam Rutherford. 

    Anyone who enjoys history, whether fictional or factual, will know of Olusoga; a professor at the University of Manchester and TV Historian whose notable works include The House through Time, and Black and British: A Forgotten History. His works provide a much-needed and jarring account of history from the lens of marginalised voices and came to the forefront of media attention in the wake of the Black Lives Matter movement, and in discussion of how we treat colonial figures such as Edward Colston. His subject for the interview: Dr Adam Rutherford, a geneticist and science presenter on BBC Radio 4’s Inside Science (co-hosted with Dr Hannah Fry). Rutherford’s non-fiction book, How to Argue with a Racist was the topic of conversation, having initially been published in hardback at the start of 2020. 

    Rutherford conversed with Olusoga about the genetics behind racism, and went to great lengths in debunking the science behind racist beliefs. As well as writing about criticising racism through a moral and ethical lens, Rutherford argues that we can also argue with racists through the use of science. If we consider the centuries that have preceded our own, countless experiments have occurred with scientists intent on dividing white and BAME communities, but as Rutherford, a scientist himself argues, whilst science is meant to be fact based, it doesn’t mean that what we are told of scientific thought is always true. “We have to recognise that science isn’t this great bastion of truth”, Rutherford says, but rather that historical science has been skewed to suit white privilege and white, male, upper class agendas. Truth, like so many things, is malleable, especially in the hands of colonialists and supporters of the British Empire.

    However, as we all know, so much has happened since January 2020, and at the discussion’s core was the disproportional impact of COVID-19 on BAME communities and the Black Lives Matter movement that gained significant prominence following the death of George Floyd. Through the power of social media and easier access to literature and news, our society is becoming an increasingly conscientious place. But that doesn’t mean bigotry isn’t present, we have a long way to go if we want to achieve a wholly equal environment. What’s particularly eye-opening was discovering the science behind race in previous centuries and the fact that many of us have been conditioned to believe fundamentally racist and problematic ideas, which Olusoga remarked have been “pumped into our society for literally centuries.” 

    “They are social constructs that science has put a stamp of belief upon, and therefore we believe it to be true.”

    Over the course of an hour, Rutherford and Olusoga covered so much, from the lived experience of being BAME in Britain and from the perspective of a geneticist debunking the prejudiced attitudes ingrained into our country. It has never been more vital to learn about racism and injustice than it is in our current moment, and never have we been fortunate enough to have access to so many voices, narratives and experiences. Rutherford’s book and his conversation with Olusoga is warm, a welcoming guide to the person who wants to do more but doesn’t know where to start, and an educational refresher for those who know far more. Above all, it takes scientific establishment and academia to confront scientists of the past, and the “stamp of approval” they once gave to racist attitudes. How to Argue with a Racist is essential reading, and it’s certainly worth checking out the talk between Adam Rutherford and David Olusoga on fane.com. 

    black history month books Event Review History review
    Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email
    Holly Peckitt

    Books Editor | 20-21 Travel Editor | 19-20

    Related Posts

    Beabadoobee Concert Review: Welcome to Beatopia

    October 29, 2022

    Taylor Swift: Midnights Review – The Stories of 13 Sleepless Nights

    October 29, 2022

    Claire Concert Review: Claire Cottrill in Concert!

    October 29, 2022

    Leave A Reply Cancel Reply

    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    MORE INFORMATION
    • ABOUT
    • ADVERTISE
    • CONTACT US
    • GET INVOLVED
    • MEMBERS
    Links
    • Bangor University Bangor University
    • Google+ Google+
    • Undeb Bangor Undeb Bangor
    About

    Seren is Bangor University Students’ Union’s English Language Newspaper

    We have editorial independence from both Bangor University and Bangor Students’ Union. Seren is written by students for students and we’d love you to get involved!

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.