Jayda sits down with Emma Dabiri to hear her academically informed understanding of beauty and identity. As well as drawing on her own unique mixed Irish and Nigerian identify, Emma reflects on how her degrees in African Studies and History laid the foundation for her deep understanding of the impact of colonialism on how we perceive ourselves and our bodies. Emma shares her knowledge of global history and philosophy, tracing the emergence of racial hierarchies and explaining why Western culture’s emphasis on appearance stems from colonialism. She contrasts this with pre-colonial Yoruba philosophy, which prioritizes inner beauty and shares her insights on body image, self-perception, and why dance and music is at the heart of connecting to herself with hope.

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Emma Dabiri books

Emma Dabiri - The Guardian

Emma Dabiri is an esteemed writer, television presenter, lecturer and speaker, Emma is the author of ‘Dont Touch My Hair’ and ‘What White People Can Do Next’ and the host of BBC Four’s ‘Britain’s Lost Masterpieces’, the Channel docuseries ‘Is Love Racist’ and the radio show ‘Journeys in Afrofuturism’. She is also a frequent contributor to the Guardian and the Irish Times. Her work explores the intersections of race and gender, as well as examining the impact of capitalism and colonialism on society.

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