- Venue
- The British Academy, 10-11 Carlton House Terrace, London, SW1Y 5AH
- Price
- Free
- Facilities
- Baby changing facilities, Hearing loop, Live subtitling, Online and in person, Wheelchair accessible venue
- Event series
- Searching for wellness
Why does healthcare so often fail women, and why have we accepted it for so long? Discuss how race, class, institutional bias, and political narratives shape who gets to be believed, who receives care, and whose pain is dismissed in this vital conversation with British Academy Book Prize shortlisted authors.
Bringing together insights from medicine, history, and policy, Professor Sophie Harman, author of Sick of It: The Global Fight for Women's Health, and Dr Annabel Sowemimo, author of Divided: Racism, Medicine and Why We Need to Decolonise Healthcare, will explore what it would truly mean to take women's health seriously across the world.
Ahead of the 2027 British Academy Book Prize, we'll also consider the power of non-fiction books in shaping these global conversations.
About The British Academy Book Prize
The British Academy Book Prize rewards outstanding books in the humanities and social sciences that combine original thinking, high-quality research and exceptional storytelling.
Its purpose is to inspire with a diverse range of authors whose work is essential to understanding humanity and can change how we see today’s world.
Speakers
Professor Sophie Harman
Sophie Harman is Professor of International Politics at Queen Mary, University of London, focusing on global health, African Agency, film and visual methods, and gender politics. She has published eight books, including Sick of It: The Global Fight for Women's Health, which was shortlisted for the 2025 British Academy Book Prize. Her research spans global health governance, HIV/AIDS, and the Ebola response, and her film Pili was BAFTA-nominated for Outstanding Debut in 2019.
Dr Annabel Sowemimo
Annabel Sowemimo is a doctor, academic, activist and writer, working as an NHS Consultant in Sexual & Reproductive Health in South London. Her book, Divided: Racism, Medicine and Why We Need to Decolonise Healthcare (Wellcome Collection, 2023), won the Bread and Roses Award and was shortlisted for the 2024 British Academy Book Prize. She founded the Reproductive Justice Initiative, addressing health inequalities, and is a part-time PhD candidate at King's College London researching Black women's experiences with long-acting reversible contraception.
Further information
Free event, donations welcome, booking required.
This event will be recorded and live streamed via YouTube.
As tickets are free, we release more than the available seats to account for no-shows.
- Entry is first-come, first-served. We recommend arriving early to avoid disappointment.
- A ticket does not guarantee entry to the main event space. If it reaches capacity, you'll be directed to the bar next door to watch a live stream.
This event will have live subtitles delivered by 121 Captions.
See information about the accessibility of the venue.
If you have any questions about this event, please refer to our Public Events FAQs. If your question is not answered, please email [email protected]
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