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Birkbeck President elected Honorary Fellow of British Academy

Alongside her role as President of the College, Baroness Joan Bakewell DBE is known for her journalism, broadcasting, creative writing and humanitarianism. She is also a Labour Party peer.

Professor David Latchman, Master of Birkbeck, and Baroness Joan Bakewell, President of Birkbeck, at a graduation ceremony.
Professor David Latchman, Master of Birkbeck, and Baroness Joan Bakewell, President of Birkbeck, at a graduation ceremony.

President of Birkbeck Baroness Joan Bakewell DBE has been elected as an Honorary Fellow of the British Academy. She was one of four Honorary Fellows elected, alongside Chair of the UK Statistics Authority Sir Andrew Dilnot CBE, poet and playwright Tony Harrison, and editor of the London Review of Books Mary-Kay Wilmers.

There were also 76 scholars appointed as Fellows for their distinction in the humanities and social sciences, the largest ever cohort of new Fellows to the British Academy.   

Alongside her role as President of the College, Bakewell is known for her journalism, broadcasting, creative writing and humanitarianism. She is also a Labour Party peer.

She said: “I am flattered and honoured to find myself in such illustrious company. I have always enjoyed the company of people with big brains!”

The British Academy is a community of over 1400 of the leading minds that make up the UK’s national academy for the humanities and social sciences, including many other members of Birkbeck’s own community, including Professor Joanna Bourke, Professor Marina Warner, Professor Mark Johnson and, as part of this year’s cohort, Professor Lynda Nead.

Professor Sir David Cannadine, President of the British Academy, said: “I extend to all of our new Fellows my heartiest congratulations and I look forward to working closely with them to build on the Academy’s reputation and achievements.”

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