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Professor Raminder Kaur

Raminder Kaur, Professor of Anthropology and Cultural Studies in the School of Global Studies, has been shortlisted for the prestigious Asian Women of Achievement Awards 2023, in the Arts and Culture category.

Founded by Pinky Lilani CBE DL in 1999, the Awards recognise the extraordinary achievements of Asian women in Britain today. They celebrate the contribution of diverse cultures and talents to UK society, awarding ‘phenomenal Asian women’ across the UK and across industries who are making valuable contributions to British life.

Professor Kaur has conducted extensive fieldwork in India, Pakistan and among diasporas in Britain, focusing on topics such as migration, race, ethnicity, gender, arts and aesthetics, heritage, human rights, public culture, and other topics. One of her most recently published articles is Introduction - Global Black Lives Matter: Representations of resistance, memory and politics.

Raminder has helped to diversify the arts and heritage sectors in the UK through her academic achievements, creative activities, and community work. She is the founder and co-producer of the international scriptwriting competition and festival Rise Against Fanaticism Through the Arts (RAFTA). Raminder is also a Fellow of the Royal Society for the encouragement of the Arts, Manufactures and Commerce (RSA) and a member of the Royal Anthropological Institute Film Committee which organises biennial international film festivals.

Raminder has written several scripts for theatre productions and filmed theatre, highlighting the voices of diverse women and marginalised people. Her consultancy work has emphasised the role of the creative in the social and political and she co-authored the report ‘Delivering Shared Heritage’ (Greater London Authority, 2005) which won the Eurocities Award for Cooperation in 2007. Due to her outstanding track record, she was appointed member of the Uyghur Tribunal in 2021.

Professor Kaur said:

“I'm very honoured to be a finalist for the Asian Women of Achievement. It's a great way to recognise the wonderful work that Asian women have done in all fields despite all the hurdles in their way.”

Head of the School of Global Studies, Professor Harrison, said:

“Raminder has a distinguished profile of academic excellence combined with influential artistic work. She is recognised internationally for her anthropological research, conducting fieldwork in South Asia as well as the UK. She is a central figure in research networks addressing major societal challenges, including notable recent work on the impact of the pandemic on minority groups. Raminder also has an outstanding reputation in the arts - in theatre, scriptwriting, and film projects working with marginalised, vulnerable or oppressed communities. This nomination is a well-deserved recognition of her work as a scholar and an artist.”

The Asian Women of Achievement Awards ceremony will be held on 8 June 2023.

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