EDI & CC book & journal club: MEETING #2 RACIAL/ETHNIC DISPARITIES IN ACADEMIA by

What does 'universities seeing diversity as central to their mission and using it to inform inclusive leadership resulting in real strategic practices with greater accountability' look like to us in practice?

mm2224 — 2024-01-26 17:29:45 UTC

The author calls for support mechanisms to be adopted to advance the career trajectories of academics of colour - do we have suggestions of what these might look like?

mm2224 — 2024-01-26 17:30:38 UTC

mm2224 — 2024-03-15 10:29:14 UTC

New concepts and phrases:

'Whiteness' as property; racial construct and possession

'Interest convergence' - tokenistic use of diversity when beneficial to the dominant group
'Racial realism' and othering - staff questioning position of academics of colour within an academic space
Visual image of academics of colour 'occupying space'
'Academic counter space' - groups of academics of colour in safe spaces

mm2224 — 2024-03-15 10:35:33 UTC

Recruitment and promotion; can come across as tokenistic
Mentoring
Training to recognise micro-aggressions (as both giver and receiver) --> policy if academic receives this type of treatment? Does this exist? -- also with training, ensuring that it is not tokenistic -- can we?

mm2224 — 2024-03-15 10:42:04 UTC

Accountability for staff who may offend - affirm and acknowledge that this is an issue for ethnically diverse staff

mm2224 — 2024-03-15 10:42:31 UTC

Development of Cultural Competency
Recognise the intersectionality of staff and how that can manifest and compound for some individuals within academia

mm2224 — 2024-03-15 10:42:40 UTC

Not surprising! x3

mm2224 — 2024-03-15 10:45:36 UTC

Unsure whether the cohort within the research appropriately reflects the diversity within academia; would have liked more detail about the ethnicity of participants

mm2224 — 2024-03-15 10:46:12 UTC

Recognise the intersectionality of staff and how that can manifest and compound for some individuals within academia
Celebrate small achievements when it comes to improving the culture

mm2224 — 2024-03-15 10:47:37 UTC

Burden of work for ethnically diverse academics plus 'White ceiling'

mm2224 — 2024-03-15 10:50:06 UTC

Context of subject being studied/taught, e.g. what is defined in this paper as an 'elite' institution? Specific career pathways depending on whether you study different subjects, e.g. being an academic specialising in English vs. Medicine (for the former, would need a PhD) - more detail and nuance needed

mm2224 — 2024-03-15 10:51:57 UTC

Recognition that pipeline from education earlier on in life (primary/secondary education) to Higher Education is broken, meaning there are fewer opportunities for academics of colour in HE

mm2224 — 2024-03-15 10:52:15 UTC

100 Black women professors NOW!

mm2224 — 2024-03-15 10:52:39 UTC

Taking forward the initiatives proposed within the paper, e.g. safe spaces for academics of colour, how are they organised? When do they take place? Who is responsible for leading? For all staff?
Prioritising self-care for all academics, highlighting it for academics of colour but open to all
Spaces for academics to speak openly about their experiences and the associated psychological safety for all in these spaces, regardless of ethnicity

mm2224 — 2024-03-15 10:56:41 UTC

Can we remove some of the barriers that academia has inherently built and now reinforces to exclude ethnic minority and/or marginalised groups without coming across as tokenistic?

mm2224 — 2024-03-15 10:57:28 UTC

Unconscious bias that people think of a White man or White woman when they think of a Professor

mm2224 — 2024-03-15 11:03:13 UTC

Positive discrimination - pros and cons. Can affect an academic's confidence, authenticity, and feeling of belonging

mm2224 — 2024-03-15 11:06:56 UTC

Cultivating a practice of self-reflection and encouraging this for ethnically diverse and non-ethnically diverse staff because it can influence the career trajectories of academics of colour, especially when White staff hold positions of power and authority

mm2224 — 2024-03-15 11:07:34 UTC

Opportunities to process our response safely with support

mm2224 — 2024-03-15 11:12:15 UTC

Pros and cons of mandatory training -- is it meaningful? At least gives all a fertile ground to grow an inclusive approach, e.g. unconscious bias

mm2224 — 2024-03-15 11:14:30 UTC

Pros and cons of mentoring -- ensure this is done in a meaningful way; should it be done where academics of colour are matched with each other, or matched with White academics?