Global Majority Writing from the British Countryside: A Poetry Masterclass

Explore the joy and resilience of pastoral writing from Global Majority poets.

This course aims to support emerging writers with Global Majority* heritage who are living and working in rural Britain and green spaces, to create new and exciting work rooted in their own and others’ experiences of nature and the countryside. The course tutor, Louisa Adjoa Parker, has written extensively on her own and others’ experiences of life in rural spaces as a racially minoritised person, and this course will provide a nurturing, comfortable space for others to share and create in the same vein.

Through poetic readings and writing new work of our own, we will explore the questions Global Majority heritage people in rural Britain face, around migration, identity, and belonging; disconnection from, or lack of community with, others who share their heritage, being in a space still viewed as predominantly ‘for’ white people, and being seen as ‘not really from here’. Additionally, we will ask further questions of ourselves: how can we express our often-complicated identity in a way that has universal meaning? How do we challenge myths and stereotypes such as Black = urban, White = rural? How do we create our identities as rural, diasporic poets? How do we choose what to write about, what to share of ourselves? How can we create a balance between pain and joy? Do we even have to?

Participants will immerse themselves in the work of a range of Global Majority poets currently writing about human relationships with the natural world, including Tjawangwa Dema, Kim O-Loughlin, Zakiya McKenzie, and Elizabeth-Jane Burnett. We will explore themes such as migration, colonialism, and Empire, and their legacies, alongside relationships with the natural environment including joy and resilience, and the different experiences people have of contemporary rural life.

The course will encourage deep reflection on our identities as poets: what we want to share of our own/others’ stories, considering intersectionality, and the importance of making space for a variety of voices. We will also consider overcoming challenges as racially minoritised poets in the poetry world, exploring the emotional labour involved in our practice and how to manage this. With the help of a supportive tutor, the course will be a space to share our stories, ideas and new work, and have rich, layered discussions.

By the end of the course, participants will have created several new poems exploring this non-traditional perspective of British life, have connected with other poets who ‘get it’, have a deeper understanding of who they are as a poet, where they fit, and what they want to share with the world.

*This term is currently used widely to describe people (including those with mixed or multiple heritage) who are Indigenous, or have roots in Africa, South, East and Southeast Asia, or the Middle East. This term is preferred as it demonstrates the fact they are a majority, and make up of 80% of the global population, not a minority.

Masterclasses are an expanded version of our International Courses, with a much deeper consideration of technical craft and critical theory. These 12-week courses (maximum 12 places) are for advanced students only, and fluency with poetic language and ideas will be assumed. There are no live chats and they are suitable for UK and International students.

Concessions & Accessibility

To apply for a concession rate, please send relevant documentation showing your eligibility for one of our concessions to [email protected]. Conditions of eligibility are detailed here. If you have any questions or wish to be added to the waiting list of a sold-out course, please email [email protected].

What to Expect

Please check the left hand side of this page for information on how this course works in practice, under the heading ‘Course Style‘. If you’re unsure as to what any of the terms there mean, or if this course is a good fit for you, please visit our What to Expect page which includes some further information on how our courses function.

Image credit: @roxxiewildflower_

About Louisa Adjoa Parker View Profile

Louisa Adjoa Parker is a writer and poet of English and Ghanaian heritage who lives in the Southwest. She draws on her intersectional lived experience to inform her work, and her focus is on telling the stories of marginalised voices. She has published four poetry collections, most recently How to wear a skin (Indigo Dreams) and She can still sing (Flipped Eye). Her debut short story collection, Stay with me, was published by Colenso Books. She has a memoir forthcoming with Little Toller Books.

Louisa’s poetry and prose has been widely published and anthologised. Her poem, ‘The Jewellery Maker’, is included in the AQA GCSE English Literature Worlds and Lives anthology. She has been highly commended by the Forward Prize; twice shortlisted by the Bridport Prize; commended by the National Poetry Competition; and won the US Virginia Faulkner Award for Excellence in Writing. She has performed her work at numerous venues and literary festivals and has delivered writing workshops to thousands of participants from a diverse range of backgrounds.

Louisa has written books, essays, and exhibitions exploring Black and ethnically diverse history in rural parts of the UK. As well as writing, she works as an equity, diversity and inclusion consultant, providing training and advice to various organisations on their inclusion journeys.

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