Dr Alina Rzepnikowska Phillips

A moral duty to speak against genocide in Gaza

As a sociologist and researcher of Polish origin, I feel a moral duty to speak out against genocide. This duty is rooted in Poland's own history, marked by occupation and mass displacement, where millions of lives were extinguished while the world for a long time stood silent. It is also tied to a lesser-known chapter: during the Second World War, Polish soldiers of the Anders’ Army found refuge in Palestine. From Soviet camps they travelled across 'the Middle East', bringing with them the scars of oppression and memories of a world that had abandoned them. Their presence in Palestine reminds us of the intertwined destinies of Poles, Jews, and Palestinians, and of the moral imperative to remember and act when others face destruction, starvation and inhumane treatment.

Today, the United Nations and leading human rights organisations have gathered evidence that Israel is committing acts of genocide in Gaza. UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese, in her report Anatomy of a Genocide, concluded there are reasonable grounds to believe that Israel is deliberately inflicting conditions calculated to destroy Palestinians through mass killings, displacement, starvation, and the systematic destruction of civilian life. Amnesty International has echoed this, documenting atrocity crimes including indiscriminate bombardments, denial of humanitarian aid, and the obliteration of Gaza’s health system. Other UN committees have highlighted acts such as preventing births, systematic killings, direct targeting of children, and dismantling basic survival structures, which fall under the Genocide Convention.

The history has shown what happens when the world watches silently. “Never again” has become a hollow slogan applied only to Europe or to our own tragedies. It must mean “never again for anyone”. If international law is to retain meaning, and if memory is to serve any purpose, we must name what is unfolding in Gaza and demand accountability, solidarity, and urgent action to stop it. To remain silent is not neutrality - it is complicity.

What you can do:

- Raise Awareness and Break Silence:

Share verified reports from the UN, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and other reputable bodies.

Write to newspapers, post on social media, and join peaceful demonstrations to ensure the issue is not buried or distorted.

- Pressure Governments and Institutions:

Contact elected representatives to demand they support ceasefire initiatives, sanctions on arms transfers, and accountability measures at the International Court of Justice and International Criminal Court.

Push universities, unions, churches, and civic organisations to issue statements, divest from companies complicit in violations, and join calls for justice.

- Support Humanitarian Relief

Donate to organisations providing food, water, medical supplies, and shelter in Gaza, such as UNRWA, Médecins Sans Frontières, etc.

Support local aid groups working under extreme conditions.

- Defend International Law

Advocate for the enforcement of the Genocide Convention and international humanitarian law, reminding leaders that these were created precisely to prevent the repetition of past atrocities.

Oppose double standards: demand the same accountability for all states, regardless of alliances or politics.

- Build Cross-Community Solidarity

Stand with Jewish, Muslim, Christian, and secular voices who are calling for peace and justice, countering attempts to frame solidarity with Palestinians as antisemitism.

Learn and teach the history of Gaza, of Palestine, and of other genocides, so that recognition leads to action rather than indifference.

- Sustain Engagement

Genocide prevention requires persistence. Beyond immediate outrage, commit to following developments, supporting long-term justice initiatives, and protecting the rights of displaced and traumatised communities.

Israel is committing genocide in Gaza, UN probe finds This marks the ‘strongest and most authoritative UN finding to date,’ says author of commission report

Very interesting new research exploring the ways Palestinian solidarity is silenced, managed and disciplined in mental health care in Britain. This event (https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-myth-of-anti-racism-in-british-mental-health-care-online-tickets-1441078146529) explores the following themes:

- How mental health care places Palestine outside of acceptable politics, as opposed to other issues. The result is an atmosphere of threat towards expressions of Palestinian solidarity.
- How the repression of Palestinian solidarity operates on both counter-terrorism and anti-racist frameworks. Repression then occurs through existing racist healthcare structures (i.e. Prevent policy) but also affirmed in spaces like EDI under the guise of “anti-racism.”
- How the liberal acceptability of racist and colonial ideologies in mental health care produces violence for all staff and service users.

The event is free and will be live-streamed and recorded! Suggested donation of £10 to support our work.
Activate to view larger image,

The myth of anti-racism in British mental health care [Online] What Palestine reveals about the politics and racism of British mental health care

I was honoured to co-organise the Racial Justice, Equality and Power (RJEP) 2025 Conference at the University of Suffolk on 9th July.

We were incredibly privileged to welcome keynote speakers Professor Heidi Safia Mirza and Professor Khadija Mohammed, and to close with an electrifying poetry performance by Abe Gibson. This conference was made possible through the support of the Institute of Social Justice, the Anti-Racism Collective and Crime, and the School of Social Sciences and Humanities. I have never been prouder to work at an institution that fosters open dialogue around racial justice, anti-racism, abolition, and decolonisation, especially in our current political climate.

🗣️ The day opened with a powerful welcome from Dr Linda Cooper, Deputy Director of the Institute of Social Justice and Crime, who set the tone for open conversations on social justice.

🎙️ Our first keynote by Professor Khadija Mohammed - “Unmuting Marginalised Voices: Decolonising Praxis and Everyday Resistance” - was deeply moving. Her personal story and scholarly wisdom highlighted how lived experience is a valid source of theory. She reminded us that racism in education is very much alive and routinely silenced for others’ comfort. Khadija stressed that racial literacy is not optional, and that discomfort is not harm - it’s the beginning of reflection and action.
One quote stayed with me:

“A leader/teacher who can deconstruct his/her/their own whiteness is far better positioned to see why prevailing pedagogical and curricular patterns might not work for children.”

This brought back memories of my own teacher training, where comments in staff rooms often reflected deep-rooted racist stereotypes - comments about Black girls’ hair, assumptions about Black boys’ age, or the dismissal of a Cameroonian colleague’s French. It reinforced that anti-racist transformation must be rooted in leadership, curriculum and pedagogy.

🎙️ Our second keynote was by Professor Heidi Safia Mirza, a pioneer, one of the UK’s first Black female professors. Her story of resilience, intersectional identity, and academic struggle was not only inspirational but personally resonant. Her reflections made me think of my own mixed-heritage family and the ongoing complexities of navigating identity in a racially unequal world, both in the UK and abroad.

Jamila Thompson shared troubling findings: 55% of Black girls had experienced racist or derogatory language by their peers and 65 had witnessed other Black girls experience this; 60% had experienced negative stereotyping from their peers and 36% experienced by their teachers; nearly half had been mixed up with another Black person by their peers or a teacher; around 60% of Black girls experienced hair discrimination from teachers. Some of the recommendations included: mandatory, yearly anti-racism CPD for educators, an intersectional lens, and decolonising the curriculum.

Ngozi Fulani delivered a heartfelt and powerful talk grounded in lived experience of racism, highlighting the urgent need for Valerie’s Law, a campaign pushing for cultural competency training in public services to protect Black women.

There were also many rich, thought-provoking panel discussions, such as anti-racist practices in education, lived experience and intersectionality, decolonising knowledge and power; migration, mobility and historical memory; anti-oppressive pedagogy and theory; race and representation in media and art; structural change and racial justice in HE institutions.

🗨️ The plenary session with Leila Mouhib and Remi Joseph-Salisbury was another highlight. Remi’s compelling talk on critical race theory, abolitionist theory, and the fight against police in schools was urgent and necessary.

🎤 To close, Abe Gibson’s poetry performance lifted the room. His work is raw, rhythmic, and unforgettable - a reminder of the role of art in political transformation.

We also announced the opportunity for post-conference publication, allowing us to build on the rich conversations and expand impact beyond the day.

🙏 Thank you to my co-organisers, Chrissie Da Costa and Pere Ayling, as well as Pallawi Sinha, Anti-Racism Collective, the Institute for Social Justice and Crime and School of Social Sciences and Humanities, as well as to the many others behind the scenes. Your dedication and support made this possible.

Watch 'Racism in the Beautiful Game' University of Westminster

Racism in the Beautiful Game

The 75th Anniversary of the Windrush arriving in the UK is upon us and there are various events happening across the UK commemorating it and its legacy to the modern history of Britain and our multi-cultural society today. Check it out: https://www.windrush75.org/events

The arrival of the ship HMT Empire Windrush at Tilbury docks in 1948, bringing more than 800 passengers from the Caribbean, is a moment that shaped modern Britain. 22 June 2023 will mark its 75th anniversary and will remind us about the story of the Black British contribution to this country and the broader post-war migration from across the Commonwealth and beyond that helped create the modern Britain that we share today. The anniversary is seen as a great opportunity to deepen the public conversation about the past, present and future of modern Britain.

Events — Windrush 75 What is happening to mark Windrush 75? The 75th anniversary of the Windrush arriving in the UK is a Diamond Jubilee for modern, diverse Britain – when we mark an important moment in British history  and come together to celebrate four generations of contribution, legacy, struggle and positive cha...

Dr Shashi Tharoor MP - Britain Does Owe Reparations
This is from 2015 but still very important.

Dr Shashi Tharoor MP - Britain Does Owe Reparations SUBSCRIBE for more speakers ► http://is.gd/OxfordUnionOxford Union on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theoxfordunionOxford Union on Twitter: ...

There is a lot of excitement about the start of the Commonwealth Games 2022 in the UK. I is also a good opportunity to reflect on what the Commonwealth is and what it represents. More critical conversations about Commonwealth are needed and how it emerged from the British Empire with its often ignored dark side marked by enslavement, exploitation and brutality. The Commonwealth has been marked by unequal power relations along racial lines, and while it is celebrated, the colonial past and its legacy, as well as racial capitalism reflected in exploitation of raw materials and migrant labour should be recognised and addressed.
This is a great podcast 'A Lasting Legacy and the Need for Dialogue', as part of the Commonwealth Stories podcast series:

Commonwealth Stories Welcome to the Commonwealth Stories podcast by Birmingham Live.As the 2022 Commonwealth Games arrive in Birmingham this summer, Birmingham Live will be celebrating the city's diversity, its vibrant cultures, and incredible communities - not to mention the spectacular sporting events we will no doubt...

I'm preparing a very though-provoking content for my new module 'Racialisation, racism and resistance: global perspectives' at and came across this documentary titled 'Concerning Violence' (link below) which I am going to use. I recommend it to anyone interested in learning more about the struggle for liberation from colonial rule which can help understanding the neocolonialism happening today, as well as the unrest and the reactions against it. It is an eye-opener and it is something hardly every taught in schools. Trigger warning: violence

Concerning Violence Documentary : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive Concerning Violence is a bold and fresh visual narrative from Africa based on archive material from Swedish documentaries 1966-1987 covering the most daring...

Preparing my lecture for Wednesday on gender and violence. Some important points are devoted to the devastating situation in Ukraine, like separation of families. I never imagined I would have to talk about this...

Refugees at a detention centre Kybartai in Lithuania start a hunger strike due to degrading and prison-like conditions. Because of the part of the world they come from they are seen as unworthy and undeserving of attention and help. They are treated like criminals and a threat to the European nations.