The Welsh Political Archive annual lecture was held on Friday 18 October, a bit earlier than usual this year, with the Archive’s advisory committee meeting earlier that afternoon. The Drwm was full and over 80 joined the lecture on-line; a very creditable audience.
Professor Charlotte Williams was the lecturer this year and her lecture entitled “From 'a tolerant nation?' to an 'anti-racist nation?' The politics of race equality in Wales” she offered a timely analysis of the distinctiveness and future of race politics in Wales. She spoke of the difference which devolved governments in Wales had made on the discussion since 1999 and to what extent policies had made a real difference to the lived experience to people of colour in Wales. She analysed three phases or eras in the Welsh government approach to race equality. These eras reflect particular triggers to change: Distinctiveness (Clear Red Water); Decoherence (new Equalities legislative era); and Decolonisation (Black Lives Matter and beyond). Following the lecture Professor Williams launched her new book Globalising Welsh Studies: Decolonising history, heritage, society and culture - Race, Ethnicity, Wales and the World along with editor Neil Evans and there was a lively question and answer session.
As part of the day’s events we held a pop up exhibition in the Summers Room and the text of the lecture is now available to view on the Welsh Political Archive pages on the National Library’s website.
Rob Phillips
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