On 8 April Goldsmiths, University of London, announced a series of redundancies among academic and academic-related staff. Sixteen staff are included in this announcement. Five historians (covering 2.8 full-time teaching roles), along with the department’s administrator, are among those whose posts will end in July, unless alternative employment is found at the university.
We are extremely disappointed by this decision. Despite repeated representations from many organisations, including the Society, Goldsmiths is taking steps deeply damaging to the careers of individual historians. We now expect those affected to be fully supported by the University and all options considered, to retain the skills and expertise of as many people as possible.
Equally, as a national and international community of historians, we need now to support those colleagues who remain in post, and who will shape the future of History at Goldsmiths. As they and their colleagues have shown, Goldsmiths offers a unique and vital contribution to historical research and teaching—as part of the wider University of London and humanities education nationally.
For many History students, for many reasons, and from many parts of the UK, Goldsmiths offers—and will continue to offer—the best place to study and research.
We are sure many in the Society will join in providing what support we can to all colleagues at Goldsmiths, now and in the immediate future. We owe this to all History staff, as well as to the students they educate and the communities with whom they work.
The President and Council of the Royal Historical Society
