Richard Hall

Richard Hall is Professor of Education and Technology at De Montfort University (DMU), based in the School of Applied Social Sciences within the Faculty of Health and Life Sciences. He contributes to teaching in evidence-based education, educational leadership, and critical pedagogy, and supervises multiple PhD and Master’s students. Richard is also Head of Faculty Research Ethics and coordinates the Social Justice and Empowerment Research Centre. He holds visiting professorships at the University of South Wales and the University of Sunderland, and is the editor of Palgrave Macmillan’s Marxism and Education series and DMU’s Gateway Papers.

• University: De Montfort University
• School: School of Applied Social Sciences
• Rank: Professor
• Research Ethics Leadership: Health and Life Sciences Faculty
• Research Centres: Centre for Urban Research on Austerity, Centre for Computing and Social Responsibility
• Editorial Roles: Palgrave Macmillan’s Marxism and Education series, Gateway Papers
• Visiting Positions: University of South Wales, University of Sunderland

Richard holds a B.A., M.A., and Ph.D., and his research expertise spans the political economy of higher education, decolonisation, anti-racism, academic alienation, and the impact of neoliberalism on universities. He investigates the Muslim student experience and the role of technology in education, advocating for radical alternatives to the current university model. His work is grounded in critical social theory and focuses on social justice, equity, and institutional transformation.

His recent publications explore generative AI, student loans and Muslim engagement, and the abolition of intellectual leadership. These works reflect a strong trend toward critical analysis of systemic inequities in higher education, with subfields including decolonial studies, racial literacy, digital pedagogy, and postcapitalist education. The interdisciplinary nature of his research bridges education, political economy, and social theory.

• Advance HE National Teaching Fellow (2009)
• Advance HE Principal Fellow (2024)
• Visiting Professor of Inclusive Education (Sunderland, 2024)
• Visiting Professor of Education (South Wales, 2023)
• Decolonising DMU: AdvanceHE Collaborative Award for Teaching Excellence (2023)
• Winner, Reclaim Open Learning Challenge (MacArthur Foundation, MIT Media Lab, 2014)

Richard supervises a diverse group of PhD students on topics including non-technical skills in clinical education, art-based coping for Black women, and Universal Design for Learning. He has led numerous funded research projects, including grants from the Aziz Foundation and the British Educational Research Association, focusing on racial literacy, Muslim student experiences, and international student support. His editorial and advisory roles span multiple journals, including Teaching in Higher Education and Postdigital Science and Education. He is actively involved in external committees, including the Research Ethics Committee for Coram and the BERA Social Theory SIG.

Richard leads and participates in research groups focused on social justice, decolonisation, and cooperative education. He co-convenes the Social Justice and Empowerment Research Centre and is involved in initiatives such as the Social Science Centre and Leicester Vaughan College. His work extends beyond the university into community-based educational activism and policy influence.