Geology is “racist” and associated with “white supremacy,” a geography professor at Queen Mary University of London has bizarrely claimed.
Dr Kathryn Yusoff controversially asserts that the study of the Earth’s rocks and natural resources is “driven by systemic racism and colonialism”.
In her book Geologic Life, she argued geological practices such as mining and resource extraction have historical ties to colonial hierarchies, material exploitation, environmental destruction and even climate change.
She also targeted palaeontology – the study of prehistoric life via fossils – dubbing it “pale-ontology” in another reference to perceived racial inequality.
In her analysis, she claimed non-white people maintain a closer relationship with the Earth than white people, writing: “Broadly, black, brown, and indigenous subjects…have an intimacy with the earth that is unknown to the structural position of whiteness.”
Dr Yusoff described geology as “inherently racialised”, suggesting it originates as a “colonial tool for land theft and resource plunder”.
She introduced the concept of “geotrauma” to encapsulate the damage caused by these practices, arguing that “geology continues to function within a white supremacist praxis.”
The campaign to “decolonise” university curricula, initially focused on social sciences and humanities, has expanded to include hard sciences, frequently underpinned by critical race theory.
Advocates of this concept argue that academic disciplines perpetuate Western dominance – but critics denounce it as politically motivated.
Dr John Armstrong, a reader in financial mathematics at King’s College London, criticised the decolonisation agenda as “anti-scientific” and claims it lowers academic standards.
He added: “University leaders and their equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) teams continue to demand that courses are decolonised.”
Chris McGovern, chairman of the Campaign for Real Education, dismissed the claims, saying: “Geology is no more racist than fish and chips!
“Exploitation of the land predates racial dynamics, as seen in prehistoric flint mines like Grime’s Graves in Norfolk.”
Dr Yusoff’s assertions have triggered fierce debate about the role of critical theory in shaping modern scientific discourse, with some defending the need for inclusivity while others concerned about the risks of politicising education.
A Professor of Inhuman Geography at Queen Mary University of London, Dr Kathryn Yusoff focuses on the intersections of race, environment, and geology.
Her research explores how the discipline of geology has been historically entwined with colonialism and racial hierarchies, framing it as a contributor to environmental exploitation and systemic racism.
Her work frequently employs Black feminist theory and critical race perspectives to critique the “geologies of race” and advocate for “decolonised” approaches to environmental and geological studies.
