culture rights provides a space to support and promote the work of young and established black* academics, lecturers, researchers and cultural practitioners working in Higher Education and related media institutions.  It facilitates the sharing of information, develops and promotes research and seeks publishing and production opportunities for black individuals in the fields of media, film, music, communications and cultural studies.

The network will identify and disseminate areas of good practice. Given the globalised context of academia, cultural production and the diasporic nature of the network, it will promote equitable exchange of information, knowledge and research for students and staff internationally. The network will also promote and contribute to public debate and agenda setting on 'race' in the areas of media and culture.

culture rights is concerned with research into racial and cultural equality in the academy. There has been an increasing recognition of issues of race, ethnicity, 'cultural diversity' and equal opportunities in Higher Education in Europe. Significantly, this is not reflected in the recruitment and promotion of black lecturers, practitioners and researchers particularly in the fields of media and cultural studies. The AUT 'Diverse Academy' report in 2005 confirmed that UK nationals from black and asian backgrounds are significantly under-represented in HE. While there are increasing numbers of black students and students of the diaspora in undergraduate media courses with some undertaking postgraduate study, relatively few continue with a career in academia.

[*black in the context of this network means individuals of African, Asian, Arab, or Caribbean heritage].