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April-Louise Pennant

Dr April-Louise Pennant

(she/her)

Leverhulme Trust Early Career Fellow

School of Social Sciences

Overview

**Exciting News**

My brand-new book, Babygirl, you've got this! Experiences of Black Girls and Women in the English education system, is officially HERE and ready for you to order!

Curious? Dive into all the details here: https://www.aprillouisepennant.com/book 

******

As a sociologist with a passion for justice and curiosity for untold stories, I explore how identities like class, gender, ethnicity, culture, and race shape the way people experience the world. Recently, with the support of the Leverhulme Trust as an Early Career Fellow, I’ve journeyed into the realms of history, heritage, and memory—unearthing voices from the past to inspire a more inclusive present by enriching our collective understanding.

I believe education holds the magic to transform lives and societies. My mission is to ensure curricula embrace the richness of diverse narratives and histories, sparking a sense of belonging and wonder in every learner. At the same time, I strive to empower students with the knowledge and confidence to navigate the educational steeplechase (Pennant, 2024) and thrive beyond it.

At the heart of my work is a commitment to centring marginalised communities. By blending lived experiences, academic theory, and creative methods, I uncover alternative perspectives that challenge inequities and inspire empathy. My approach is equal parts critical and imaginative, always driven by a deep desire to see a fairer, kinder world.

A particular focus of my research lies in the intersecting barriers faced by Black communities, especially girls, women, enslaved Africans, and their descendants. Alongside spotlighting their challenges, I celebrate their resilience and the ingenious ways they’ve carved paths through systemic obstacles, enriching society with their strength and innovation.

Ultimately, my work is a call to action. It asks: Who do we see? Who do we hear? Who holds power, and how can we share it more equitably? By shifting these dynamics, I aim to reimagine education and society as spaces where justice isn’t just an aspiration—it’s a reality.

Profile image credit: Fatima Halidou

Publication

2024

2023

2022

2021

2019

2018

Articles

Book sections

Books

Monographs

Research

I am currently working on the Leverhulme Trust funded project : The source of the stream: centring the enslaved Africans who built Penrhyn Castle | The Leverhulme Trust

Previously, as part of my Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) postdoctoral fellowship, I worked on the project: Understanding to Overstand the education system: The educational journeys and experiences of Black British women graduates.

I am a Research Associate at the Chair for Critical Studies in Higher Education Transformation (CriSHET) at the Nelson Mandela University in South Africa. I am also a Honorary Research Associate at Bangor University's School of History, Law and Social Sciences. Additionally, I am a member of the GW4/National Trust partnership's expert Community of Practice (CoP), working with specific National Trust properties under the theme of Colonial Connections.

My research interests include:

  • Social justice
  • Educational inequalities
  • Education policy
  • Workplace inequalities
  • Workplace policy
  • Race, ethnicity, culture, gender and social class / Intersectionality
  • Black Feminist Theory and Epistemology
  • Black Girlhood Studies
  • Black British and Black diasporic identities and intersections
  • Anti-Black racism
  • Bourdieu's Theory of Practice
  • Critical Race Theory
  • BlackCrit 
  • Memory
  • History
  • Heritage

Biography

Honours and awards

  • Honarary Research Associate in the School of History, Law and Social Sciences, Bangor University (2023)
  • The Leverhulme Trust Early Career Fellowship (2022)
  • Research Associate at the Chair for Critical Studies in Higher Education Transformation (CriSHET) at the Nelson Mandela University in South Africa (2022)
  • Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) Postdoctoral Research Fellowship at Cardiff University (2021)
  • Welsh Government 'Valuing Diversity' Award (2021)
  • WeAreTheCity and The Times and The Sunday Times 'Rising Star' Award in the Education & Academia category (2019)
  • Westmere Scholar for the College of Social Sciences at the University of Birmingham (2018)
  • Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) 1+3 Award at the University of Birmingham (2015)
  • Outstanding International/Multicultural Initiative of the Year at the University of Kent's Student Awards (2015)
  • Student of the Year at the University of Kent's Students Awards (2015)

Professional memberships

  • African Carribean Research Collective
  • Associate Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (AFHEA)
  • British Academy Early Career Researcher Network
  • Learned Society of Wales Early Career Network
  • British Art Network (BAN)
  • British Sociological Association 

Academic positions

  • 2023- present: Honarary Research Associate, School of History, Law and Social Sciences, Bangor University
  • 2022- present: Leverhulme Early Career Fellow, Cardiff University
  • 2021 - 2022: ESRC Postdoctoral Fellow, Cardiff University

Speaking engagements

  • Exploring Histories of Labour: inclusive heritage and collaboration, Being Human Festival, Amgueddfa Cymru | Museum Wales (2023)
  • Centring the enslaved Africans who built Penrhyn castle: Curating with care, diverse histories and visitors in mind, National Trust Curating Our Cultural Heritage 2023 & beyond Conference, MShed (2023)
  • Black History Month Exhibition '50 Plaques & Places', The Tabernacle (2023)
  • Mapping race, anti-racism and legacies of empire in Aberystwyth, Online (2023)
  • Black Atlantic, BBC Arts & Ideas (2023) Listen here.
  • Dr April-Louise Pennant, The British Academy Early Career Researcher Network Research Cafe - Cardiff Special, sbarc|spark, Cardiff University (2023)
  • Centring the source of the stream & strengthening global connections in the heritage sector, INTO Global connections workshop, Bath Assembly rooms (2023)
  • A Work in progress: Centing the enslaved Africans who built Penrhyn castle, Memory Studies Association Conference, Transgenerational memory, education, museums and activism session, Newcastle (2023)
  • Research-in-progress- The Source of the Stream: centring the enslaved Africans who built Penrhyn castle, Amgueddfa Cymru | Museum Wales' lunchtime seminar series (2023)
  • Mapping Out the all the Black in the Union Jack: Being a Black woman scholar-activist in modern Britain, Black Europe Summer School, the Netherlands (2022)
  • How to be a Transformer in educational spaces and places, University of Kent (2022)
  • Penrhyn Castle & the Pennants - a Personal Journey by Dr April-Louise Pennant, Black History Cymru 365 (2021)
  • Promoting An Anti-Racist Wales: Lessons from Running Against the Wind, Race Council Cymru (2021)
  • Black women in education, Wales & reparations, Surviving Society Podcast (2021)
  • Stories of our times: The legacy of Penrhyn Castle (Pt 1, 2 and 3), The Times Podcast (2021)
  • Respecting Race in the Workplace, Llywodraeth Cymru / Welsh Government Podcast (2021) 
  • Black bodies in white educational spaces, Bristol Conversations in Education research seminar series (2021) 
  • #NavigatingInSilence: Black British Women in education and the workplace, Centre On The Dynamics Of Ethnicity (CoDE) webinar (2021)

Some of these speaking engagements, along with others are available to be listened to on my personal website here.

Committees and reviewing

Contact Details

Email PennantA@cardiff.ac.uk
Telephone +44 29208 70911
Campuses Glamorgan Building, King Edward VII Avenue, Cardiff, CF10 3WA

Research themes

Specialisms

  • Memory
  • Critical heritage, museum and archive studies
  • Social Justice
  • Black studies
  • Culture, representation and identity