Keon West

Personal and Professional Background:
I was raised in Jamaica, educated at Macalester (USA), and at the Sorbonne, in Paris (France) before completing my doctorate at Oxford (UK). With such a cross cultural life it is unsurprising that my interests turned toward intergroup relations and social issues. My research sometimes investigates theoretical aspects of prejudice and prejudice reduction (West & Bruckmüller, 2013; West & Hewstone, 2012). However, much of my research deals with practical application, policy and advocacy. For example, my extensive work on anti-gay prejudice in Jamaica (West & Cowell, 2015; West, Husnu, & Lipps, 2014; West, in press) has found tangible, real-world solutions. I’ve communicated my findings in Jamaican and international media (e.g, the BBC World Service), and worked closely with JFLAG - Jamaica’s largest LGBT-rights organisation – in the application of this research to advocacy. This passion also flows into my teaching: at Goldsmiths I teach Masters and undergraduate courses on group-based social inequality.