Last week, Prof Sarita Malik, a Professor of Media, Culture and Communications at Brunel University London, was awarded the 2024 Outstanding Achievement Award by the British Association of Film, Television and Screen Studies for her influential work on increasing diversity and representation in British film and television. In the same week, the award-winning academic was also appointed to a new Equality Diversity and Inclusion Advisory Group at Creative UK – a non-profit organisation and network that supports the UK’s creative industries – to boost diversity within the creative industries.
Each year, the British Association of Film, Television and Screen Studies (BAFTSS) – an international member organisation that promotes film studies, television studies and screen studies, and recognises academic research on those subjects – presents an Outstanding Achievement Award to a scholar, filmmaker, artist or film industry worker in recognition of their contribution.
This year, Prof Malik was the deserving recipient of the award for her influential research on the politics of race and representation in British film and television – and for her work on how diversity, social justice and arts and culture are understood through policy and practice within the film and television sectors.
The British Association of Film, Television and Screen Studies Awards 2024
Since the 90s, Prof Malik has published work on the issues of race, representation, inequality, culture and diversity across film, public service broadcasting and the cultural industries, and her influential work has made major contributions to the creative industries.
Prof Malik received the award at the BAFTSS annual conference, which was held at the University of Sussex from 3 – 5 April. Following the win, she spoke about the significance of her award: “It is wonderful to have my research recognised in this way, and it is especially significant to me that the BAFTSS Executive Committee have acknowledged my scholarship on the politics of race and representation, because there still remains a critical neglect of questions surrounding race and racialisation within British screen studies,” she said.
“The Social Sciences and Humanities are facing increasing pressure within the sector, and it is important that our research and pedagogy is valued and understood.”
In addition to the recent win, Prof Malik has also been appointed to the newly formed Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Advisory Group (EDIAG), which has been set up by Creative UK - a non-profit organisation and network that supports the UK’s creative industries – to boost EDI within the UK’s creative industries.
Following an open recruitment process, Prof Malik joins nine other members from creative industries, and she is the only academic.
“This role will allow me to apply my research insights and direct experience within the leading organisation supporting creative industries in the UK,” said Prof Malik.
“While I do not believe that EDI concerns can be separated from core business, this is an opportunity to increase sector knowledge of access and engagement barriers affecting underrepresented groups and advise on ways of mitigating or removing these barriers. It also builds scope to increase access to networks.”
Reported by:
Nadine Palmer,
Media Relations
+44 (0)1895 267090
Nadine.palmer@brunel.ac.uk