In 2018, when writer Brian Walker was awarded the prestigious Chevening Scholarship to pursue graduate studies at the renowned London School of Economics (LSE), he intended to do more than simply graduate with a master’s degree, which he accomplished and did so with distinction.
Walker was studying when he came across two images of Sir Arthur Lewis, an economist who was born in Saint Lucia and was well-known for his contributions to the study of development economics.
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Lewis, who received the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economics in 1979, has advised various countries in Africa, Asia, and the Caribbean as well as numerous international bodies. The Sir Arthur Lewis Institute of Social and Economic Studies (SALISES) is unique to the Faculty of Social Sciences at the University of The West Indies, Mona, where Walker finished his undergraduate studies in journalism at the Caribbean Institute for Media and Communication (CARIMAC).
“When I started at LSE in 2018, I would look around the campus and I only saw two photos of him, coming from the University of the West Indies (UWI), Mona, where we have the Sir Arthur Lewis Institute of Social and Economic Studies (SALISES); Princeton, the University of Manchester and they all have tangible expressions of the pride of place he holds,” Walker noted.
He continued to express his dissatisfaction with the lack of recognition for Sir Author on the university grounds, “I was not satisfied that there was enough tangible recognition here. And for the whole year I was, like, how can we embed Sir Arthur in the iconography of the school, in the environment, giving him more recognition and visibility that he thoroughly deserves. And I felt the building for the world-renown Department of Economics at London School of Economics was probably the most tangible expression of respect.”
He determined that naming a building after the economist would be a worthy honor after consulting with other black groups. But first, he had to educate the student body about Sir Arthur Lewis’s contributions and value.
Walker shared with the Gleaner News, “He was the first black academic at LSE, where he did his graduate and post-graduate studies. So, pretty much, LSE was his intellectual home. Back in 2019 when I completed my dissertation, I got a three-month contract with the communication division at LSE. I told my boss that October 2019, broadly speaking, marked 40 years since he won a Nobel Peace Prize in Economics. Black History month in the UK is October, so I pitched to him the idea of doing a short film on him.”
Walker obtained permission to do so and collaborated on the production of a short film that examined his legacy and how it continues to influence discussions about economics at the university. It served as the launch platform for the other aspect of the strategy. He drafted a request for the Department of Economics building to be named in his honor at the end of October, and both the general secretary of the Students’ Union and the education officer, who are both black students, approved it.
“Writing directly to the president in October 2019, I followed it up through the COVID-19 pandemic, through the whole global transnational reckoning – the Black Lives Matter movement. I kept it on the agenda right here from Kingston, writing to the key people and reminding them that it needs to be done,” Walker noted.
He points out that the school’s president is a global economist who appreciates the value of Lewis’ work.
Walker learned that the suggestion was being taken into consideration two weeks after it was submitted, but that more time was required to create the school’s naming policy. The attempts were launched by the COVID-19 epidemic, but the former print and television journalist remained tenacious. It was announced that it will occur around a year later, with a future date to be determined.
The transformation took place on Thursday in front of Sir Arthur’s granddaughter and daughter.
Walker was given the opportunity to see the renaming.
“The building that houses the Department of Economics and a range of other economics-related centers in honor of Sir Arthur … was previously known as 32 Lincoln’s Inn Fields. It was changed on March 20. The ceremony was Thursday night. It is now (the) Sir Arthur Lewis Building and will be called (SAL) for short,” Walker shared.
Elizabeth Lewis-Channon, daughter of Sir Arthur Lewis shared with the Gleaner news, “It’s a great honor. I think my dad would have been very pleased. He had very fond memories of LSE. That’s where he got his start, and to have this level of recognition, it’s just great.”
She stated that the honor is an appropriate homage to his life and accomplishments as well as to the Nobel Laureate who won the award for something other than literature or world peace.
She said that her father arrived while conversations about what may be added to development economics were taking place.
