Building Inclusive Reading Lists

The list of recommended books, articles, journals, and databases below was complied by Alessandra Bossoni and Skye Kenny, undergraduate Biological Sciences students at Edinburgh Napier University, as part of a three-year (2022-25) student-staff co-operative project called Inclusive & Decolonised Curriculum in the Biological Sciences. The project aims to develop and decolonise the undergraduate Biological Sciences curriculum at Edinburgh Napier University to create more inclusive and empowering programmes for students.

The list contains readings aligned with topics covered in undergraduate Biological Sciences programmes and intersecting with social justice issues, such as anti-racism, decolonisation, disability, gender identity, minorities, and more. Alessandra and Skye selected titles based on what they found most interesting and relevant to their studies, having first carried out a focused and systematic literature search of online library catalogues and academic databases. The list represent just a sample of the total number of resources identified during the project. For a full list of titles, see the Project Reading List. 

We hope that the list below and the Project Reading List will prove useful starting points for academic staff and students in Biological Sciences programmes at the University to develop module and personal reading lists along potentially new and more inclusive lines.

Watch the short video below to find out more about Alessandra's and the project team's experience of searching for diverse literature and their reflections on the importance of inclusive and decolonised reading lists.