Low socioeconomic status is an under-recognised source of challenges in academia

Abstract

Barriers faced by underrepresented groups in academia have increasingly formed the basis of serious discussion, consideration, and policies, recently (in the UK) under the mantle of equality, diversity, and inclusivity (EDI). While such recognition has not solved the challenges encountered by, for instance, women and ethnic minorities, it has at least ensured that consideration of such issues is becoming a normal part of policy and practice. One underrepresented group in academia is low socioeconomic status (working class) backgrounds, a characteristic that intersects widely with other more commonly considered EDI groups. However, socioeconomic status is not a legally protected characteristic in the UK, which has resulted in it receiving less attention in terms of consideration of the barriers it imposes and possible mitigations needed. Moreover, unlike often more salient EDI characteristics such as gender and ethnicity, outward-facing cues of socioeconomic status are less visible at a glance, although they are often detectable in more subtle or indirect ways. Coupled with the attempts many working-class academics make to ‘mask’ cues of their background, this creates a situation whereby low socioeconomic status is a ‘hidden’ barrier that commonly remains unrecognised and unaddressed throughout much of academia. Here, we provide an overview of the challenges faced by working-class academic scientists based partly on the literature, which is currently limited, and partly from the experiences of our diverse working-class authorship team. In doing so, we hope to bring greater awareness of working-class backgrounds to the table in EDI discussions, and we provide suggestions for future research on and mitigation of the challenges faced by academic scientists from low socioeconomic status backgrounds.