EDITORIAL

Welcome to the 25th volume of ‘Race Ethnicity and Education’.

When this journal launched, some people questioned whether there was a need for a title dedicated to understanding – and combatting – racism in education; many saw the field as too specialized, too political. Those views still remain in some quarters but the need for a dedicated journal is surely no longer in doubt. REE has established itself as a major force in critical educational studies worldwide. Despite serving a readership that is smaller than the potential audience for more generic research journals, REE enjoys an admirable citation record, is read by hundreds of thousands of people across the globe, has launched a sister publication (Whiteness and Education), and, most importantly, has helped to change the face of educational scholarship on race and racism. REE has championed key new developments and launched careers: several young academics, who published their early work in REE, are now recognized as the leading scholars in the field. The first volume of Race Ethnicity and Education, in 1998, consisted of two issues; this year we expand to seven per year.

The journal is a collaborative enterprise that depends on the commitment of critical scholars worldwide. As editor I benefit from the guidance and input of a hugely distinguished and varied editorial board – that does the majority of the reviewing for the journal – who give their time and expertise generously and for no remuneration. The board’s continued enthusiasm and support make the journal possible and it is humbling that so many distinguished scholars give their time despite the constantly expanding demands of their jobs and other pressures.

A quarter of a century publishing the best critical antiracist educational research is an important achievement, but I doubt that many in the field feel like celebrating. The world is still reeling from the covid-19 pandemic which, predictably, has impacted minoritized populations the hardest. Education remains a major focus for policymakers across the political spectrum and Critical Race Theory, an approach that this journal helped to pioneer in education internationally, has been outlawed in numerous US states seeking to sanitize their history and – as ever – place the interests, fears and fantasies of White people at the heart of the system. Little is certain, but I expect the next 25 years to be at least as tumultuous as the last.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was disclosed by the author.