As part of our Women’s History Month focus, and inspired by this year’s International Women’s Day theme; Inspire Inclusion, we get to know the Vice Deans for Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI). This week, we hear from Dr Richard Hawley, Vice Dean for EDI in the School of Humanities.
1.) Please tell me more about yourself and your role?
I joined the University over thirty years ago as an academic member of staff in the Classics Department, where I have always taught and researched questions of gender and identity in Greco-Roman culture. I have been a strong supporter of Student Voice and am very proud that in 2016 I led the team that designed and set up the RH100. I was appointed as Vice Dean for EDI for the School of Humanities last summer as part of the University’s commitment to its wide-ranging EDI Framework for 2023-28. The Vice Deans for EDI lead School EDI initiatives and contribute to University-wide EDI projects.
2.) What do you enjoy most about being the EDI lead in your school?
In Humanities we have such wonderful students and staff from diverse backgrounds, who have so much of value to contribute to our School and University community, both now and in the future. I love learning from everyone I meet: we’ve all got our own ‘story’, and every story can teach us how to celebrate our individuality and diversity, while reminding us how much we all have in common. My passion is to celebrate the many voices in our School, to support their initiatives, and to build a stronger sense of belonging for us all – students, staff, and alumni.
3.) The theme for International Women’s Day 2024 is ‘#InspireInclusion’ – how do you integrate this theme within you own work?
When I arrived at this University, with its great history as a champion of women’s education, I designed the first undergraduate module in a UK university to focus on women’s lives in ancient Greek and Roman culture. Since then, the module has evolved to include multiple identities and acts as a ‘safe space’ for students to explore and express their own identities as part of an ongoing historical continuum. Inclusion lies at the very heart of my work and indeed my philosophy of life. In my lifetime we have made so many positive changes, but there is still so much more that we can do to promote equality and inclusion.
4.) What are you currently working on in your role as EDI lead?
I am so excited that several current and forthcoming initiatives in our School are exploring how we can better support in particular our neurodiverse students, our international and our mature students at all levels of study. I am also very keen to develop stronger, more active links with our School’s impressive global community of alumni, who can in turn inspire and support our current and future students.
5.) Who inspires you both inside and outside work?
I’m always inspired by anyone, anywhere, who has stood up for promoting equality and inclusion and led change to help others. I’m inspired by my colleagues’ commitment to adapt to and support our growing, diverse student community. I’m especially inspired by our students who in recent years have had to face and overcome the most unexpected and unique challenges to both their studies and their young lives. Our students are our diversity champions for the future!
6.) March is also Women’s History Month – is there a woman from history that you find particularly inspiring?
Not surprisingly I’d choose an ancient Greek woman. If I could travel back in time 2500 years, I’d want to meet Aspasia, from the ancient Greek city of Miletus in modern Turkey. She was perhaps a sex-worker, and despite being non-Athenian, rose to be the partner of the premier Athenian general and politician, Pericles. She was admired by philosophers like Socrates for her impressive learning and her formidable skill with language, at a time when Athenian women’s education was limited to household management. Rumour has it that she even secretly wrote Pericles’ famous political speeches for him! Some have called her the most important woman in classical Athenian culture, but we have so few facts about her life. She must indeed have been a very independent, resilient, and inspiring woman!