About
Keon West is a former President of the Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues (SPSSI), author of the bestseller The Science of Racism, and Head of Research at the Runneymede Trust. After completing his doctorate in Experimental Psychology at Balliol College, Oxford, (Jamaica, 2006, Rhodes Scholarship)
Keon built an internationally respected research portfolio, focusing on prejudice, social identity, and intergroup relations. He collaborates with researchers internationally (e.g., Jamaica, US, Italy, Germany, Belgium) and with NGOs engaged in prejudice-reducing work. He draws on quantitative, experimental methodologies to address urgent social issues, including racism, sexism, and anti-gay prejudice.
Keon is currently the co-editor of the highly regarded US-based international journal Social Issues and Policy Review and a forthcoming Sage Handbook on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. His book The Science of Racism provides a comprehensive, public-facing account of the vast weight of scientific evidence for the existence of racism. Published in the UK and US (2025), and forthcoming in French and Japanese translations, it has been positively reviewed by leading media including The Guardian, The Independent, The Spectator, Financial Times, New Scientist, and Science. Sathnam Sanghera described it as "illuminating, surprising, unnerving, moving [and] utterly necessary for this time in history."
Awards
- 2022 Fellowship of The Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues
- 2019 Distinguished Contributions to Ethnic Minority Issues – American Psychological Association Division 44
- 2017 SPSSI Award for Outstanding Teaching and Mentoring
- 2015 Michele Alexander Award for Scholarship and Service
- 2015 BBC Expert Voice
Expertise
Intergroup Relations, Bias, Bias Reduction, Contact Theory, Definitional Boundaries of Discrimination, Body Image
Current appointment: March 2025 - February 2028