By belonging to a social group which has less power or representation than other groups, people’s position in society can be minoritised. Within the UK, people can be minoritised based on various aspects of their identity such as their gender, LGBTQ+ identity, race, disability, social class, nationality, or religion. Additionally, within the unique context of UK higher education, academics can also be minoritised based on their job contract type.
People often have multiple identities, any of which might be minoritised. Having multiple minoritised identities can pose unique challenges to individuals within academia, as multiple forms of marginalisation can compound themselves to create unique challenges and inequalities. This idea of compounding identities is known as intersectionality and was devised by Kimberlé Williams Crenshaw in 1989 to describe the unique experiences and challenges of Black women who experience both racism and sexism.
The following quotes have been organised by the speaker’s identity. As you navigate this part of you the exhibit, you can:
Select the different categories to explore how marginalisation within academia is affected by an individual’s identity.
Combine different identity categories, which allows you to explore how multiple minoritised identities intersect.
