The Global Racisms Institute for Social Transformation (GRIST) is a pioneering academic initiative based at the University of Cambridge.

Here at GRIST, we are reimagining how we confront one of the most pervasive issues in our societies: the systemic ingrained belief that some people are worth more than others, and all its consequences, using racism as the thread to start unveiling the workings of inequality.

Born from the urgent need to generate applicable knowledge about racisms, GRIST radically experiments with how this knowledge is created.
It brings together people who might not otherwise cross paths, curating a space where emotionally attuned methodologies support sustained collaboration.

Rather than reproducing academia’s competitive ethos or the sense of urgency that dominates contemporary life, GRIST fosters the innovation needed to address the complex social problems fuelled by racism. By prioritising holistic and reflective processes, GRIST puts its faith in people’s collective capacity to co-create solutions—especially when existing frameworks fall short and more expansive, adaptable responses are needed.

GRIST’s mission is to redefine research excellence through collaborative experimentation, diverse partnerships, and emotionally engaged
methodologies. We tackle global racisms by generating transformative conversations that centre knowledge, practical expertise, and the
lived experiences of people from the global majority.

GRIST is led by Professor Mónica Moreno Figueroa and hosted by the Department of Sociology at the University of Cambridge. Our design phase began in August 2023 with seed funding from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, and we aim to transition to the development phase in 2025–2026.