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Out of Place: Black women academics in British universities

2007; Taylor & Francis; Volume: 16; Issue: 2 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1080/09612020601048704

1747-583X

Cecile Wright, Sonia Thompson, Yvonne Channer,

Mentoring and Academic Development

Abstract This article examines the experience of Black women academics in British universities.Footnote 1 The background to this is the under‐representation of Black people at all levels of academia, particularly in senior posts. Black women in academia can be seen to be occupying a space that has historically been the preserve of the white middle‐class male. Within this space Black women are 'space invaders'. The article explores this concept by reporting the findings from a study of Black women academics. The marginalization, tenuous position, lack of a sense of belonging and survivalist strategies are issues explored. Feelings of being excessively scrutinized and marginalized are common amongst the women. Issues of lack of progression, workload management, lack of opportunities, lack of support and access to resources are identified by the women and discussed. The article describes how Black women negotiate their experiences of work in academia and how they feel damaged by their experiences. The article concludes by making the case for institutional change in British universities. Acknowledgements We would like to express our immense gratitude to the women who contributed to this study. We wish them every success. Notes [1] An intended outcome of the study on which this article is based was the opportunity which it provided for the participants to reflect on their experiences in academia. Participants regarded the opportunity to discuss their experiences as therapeutic and cathartic. However, a number of the women whom we approached as possible participants were unable to take part in the study because they had been 'legally gagged'. We were unable to unravel the specifics of these 'gagging orders'; however, those who were unable to take part were seeking other routes through which they could explore their own ordeal. 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