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This opening chapter establishes the intellectual and contextual foundation for the book by examining the persistent underrepresentation of Black students in UK doctoral education. It argues that the barriers to access, participation, and progression are not the result of individual deficits but of structural inequities embedded in higher education systems. These barriers include racialised awarding gaps, inequitable admissions criteria, limited representation in leadership, structural racism, and the “cultural tax” borne by Black academics. Together, they create a leaky pipeline that filters out Black talent and perpetuates cycles of exclusion. The chapter begins by situating doctoral education as a critical gateway to academic careers and leadership roles, highlighting its disproportionate impact on knowledge production, institutional culture, and social progress. It critiques deficit-based narratives that frame Black students as underachieving, reframing the issue as one of systemic exclusion rather than capability. The importance of representation and role models is explored, showing how visibility in senior academic positions fosters belonging and aspiration. The racialised awarding gap is analysed as a structural barrier that compounds inequalities, narrowing access to postgraduate and doctoral opportunities. Structural racism and cultural exclusion are then examined as ongoing features of higher education that hinder both students and academics. The chapter concludes by positioning doctoral education as a critical site for transformation and by introducing the Accomplished Study Programme in Research Excellence (ASPIRE) as a values-driven intervention rooted in compassionate pedagogy, Ubuntu, and Omoluabi. ASPIRE is presented not as a remedy for individual deficits, but as a systemic intervention designed to dismantle barriers and create equitable pathways into doctoral study. In doing so, the chapter frames the book as both a mirror reflecting systemic inequities and a map charting pathways to equity and justice.

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Introduction: Understanding the Barriers to Doctoral Education for Black Students

  • 章节

  • 发表日期：

    2025年

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  • Ifedapo Francis Awolowo

摘要

This opening chapter establishes the intellectual and contextual foundation for the book by examining the persistent underrepresentation of Black students in UK doctoral education. It argues that the barriers to access, participation, and progression are not the result of individual deficits but of structural inequities embedded in higher education systems. These barriers include racialised awarding gaps, inequitable admissions criteria, limited representation in leadership, structural racism, and the “cultural tax” borne by Black academics. Together, they create a leaky pipeline that filters out Black talent and perpetuates cycles of exclusion. The chapter begins by situating doctoral education as a critical gateway to academic careers and leadership roles, highlighting its disproportionate impact on knowledge production, institutional culture, and social progress. It critiques deficit-based narratives that frame Black students as underachieving, reframing the issue as one of systemic exclusion rather than capability. The importance of representation and role models is explored, showing how visibility in senior academic positions fosters belonging and aspiration. The racialised awarding gap is analysed as a structural barrier that compounds inequalities, narrowing access to postgraduate and doctoral opportunities. Structural racism and cultural exclusion are then examined as ongoing features of higher education that hinder both students and academics. The chapter concludes by positioning doctoral education as a critical site for transformation and by introducing the Accomplished Study Programme in Research Excellence (ASPIRE) as a values-driven intervention rooted in compassionate pedagogy, Ubuntu, and Omoluabi. ASPIRE is presented not as a remedy for individual deficits, but as a systemic intervention designed to dismantle barriers and create equitable pathways into doctoral study. In doing so, the chapter frames the book as both a mirror reflecting systemic inequities and a map charting pathways to equity and justice.