Directory of Research and Expertise

Review

Commonwealth & Comparative Politics, 56:3, 403-406.

British electoral researchers admit that they do not yet understand why Caribbean Britain’s electoral behaviour is out of sync with Britain’s normal electoral theories and expected electoral behaviour.

This thesis argues, however, that British electoral research does not understand Caribbean Britain accurately because they do not use the most appropriate methodologies to research or engage politically or electorally with Caribbean Britons.

In addition, British electoral research employs both colonialised research methodologies and a colonialised narrative that does not adequately reflect or reach Caribbean Britain. It is, therefore, the British electoral research that is abnormal and peculiar to the electoral behaviour of Caribbean Britons — and not Caribbean Britons that are peculiar to British electoral research theories.

Using alternative methodologies and narratives, the thesis presents findings that attempt to demonstrate where future research can be rectified by using more appropriate and more decolonised research narratives and methodologies. This includes using intersectionality, instead of only skin colour, to represent the social reality of race.

These alternative approaches illustrate how existing electoral research theories inadequately accommodate the political heritage and socio-political circumstances and, therefore, the electoral socialisation of, Caribbean Britons.

The thesis concludes that until the inappropriate colonialised context of existing British electoral research is acknowledged, an accurate electoral analysis of Caribbean Britons will remain elusive.

Founder Chief Executive Officer of CARiB (Caribbean Atlantic Research in Britain).

Chair of the British Political Association's Caribbean Politics Specialist Group for ten years (2013 - 2022).

Advisor to the University of London's 'Nationality, Identity and Belonging: An Oral History of the ‘Windrush Generation’ and their Relationship to the British State, 1948-2018' project.

This event was a partnership between myself and Dr Sue Onslow. I organised and chaired the showing of the film 'Mutiny' (including an Introduction and Q&A with Tony T) and the 'Children of the Windrush Generation' panel discussion (which included life therapist Yvonne Archer, campaigner Dr Patrick Vernon OBE, and author Colin Babb). Dr Sue Onslow ran the oral history workshop on 'How to Gather Memories'.

This event consisted of four panels, each addressing historic and contemporary areas of the ICWS's work across the field of human rights. My paper concerned the importance of human rights to Caribbean Britain. The keynote speaker was Judge Albie Sachs, anti-apartheid activist and former member of the Constitutional Court of South Africa.

Convened this event where British Guyanese author, Colin Babb, led a discussion about the research for his forthcoming 2nd edition book 'They Gave the Crowd Plenty Fun'. The book assesses the social and political impact of international cricket on Caribbean Britain.

Presented some preliminary Caribbean Britain Survey research summary findings at the Black Cultural Archives (BCA) -- following the kind invitation from the BCA Heritage Group.

Convened and chaired the showing of 'German Town: The Lost Story of Seaford Town, Jamaica' -- a documentary about a declining group of German-Jamaicans. The film's director, David Ritter (Carib Productions), answered audience questions via a live transatlantic audio-visual connection. This event was fully booked.

Designed, convened and led the annual workshop that explains the key elements required to organise successful academic events. This event was fully booked.

Convened and chaired 'Imprisoned for 26 Years: In Conversation with Selwyn Strachan' where former political prisoner, Selwyn Strachan, attended to give first-hand perspectives about his role in the Grenadian Revolution, his Government's ambitions, the US military opposition, his 26 year imprisonment, the future and any regrets -- before answering audience questions. This event was fully booked.

Convened and chaired the first UK screening of 'Forward Ever: The Killing of a Revolution'  -- a film about the 1979 Grenadian revolutionary government and its terminal violent assassinations of 1983. The film’s director, Dr Bruce Paddington (University of the West Indies), attended and answered audience questions. This event sold out within 48 hours.

Convened and chaired the conference that brought distinguished diplomats and leading academics together to review the 1983 US military intervention in Grenada.

Sir Shridath 'Sonny' Ramphal (Secretary-General of the Commonwealth 1975-1990) was the key speaker.

An edited version of his keynote speech is available here: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00358533.2013.874161. 

Some of the conference papers can also be found in the edited book 'Grenada: Revolution and Invasion' here: https://www.routledge.com/Grenada-Revolution-and-Invasion/Payne-Sutton-Thorndike/p/book/9781032127736. This event was sold out.