How do you feel about your name?

Names and how we feel about them are linked to our sense of self-identity. For people with non-Western names in Western English-speaking contexts, this relationship can be complicated. My Name Is explores verbatim narratives from research participants who have non-Western names, examining how individuals view their relationships with their names, how names impact self-identity, and how names can correlate to the pressure to conform with westernized English norms.

An extension of the My Name Is® research project and award-winning documentary, this book shares valuable lived experience as well as looking at the importance of getting names right.

Javeria K. Shah, PhD, is an interdisciplinary academic specialising in sociology, media studies, education, inclusion, and policy. She holds academic and senior management positions at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, University of London, and frequently serves as a guest lecturer at various universities. In addition to her university roles, she is a member of several boards, including the Young Vic and a Community Advisory Group within the London Mayor’s Office. Javeria also co-chairs the Anti-Racist Teacher Education Network (ARTEN) at the Centre for Race, Education, and Decoloniality at Leeds Beckett University. She founded the Social Performance Network in 2018 and is a prominent advocate for inclusive practices and pedagogy in the UK.