Supporting Working-Class Students in Higher Education: Developing Your Class-Conscious Practice (Insider Guides to Success in Academia)

Placing a spotlight on the classism inherent in higher education, this book highlights the realities that working-class students face when navigating elite higher education spaces and the rewards and challenges of supporting these students in such spaces.

Drawing on the life experiences of academics of working-class heritage and a Student Advisory Board, each chapter is positioned around a “myth” which is debunked with examples, practice, student perspectives, and research. Alongside this, the book serves as a support mechanism for practitioners to learn from working-class experiences in order to improve their own practice and be able to support their working-class students through the exploration of an intersectional, class-conscious pedagogy. It argues that classism should be a central item on the agenda of all those working in higher education if they are truly committed to making institutions spaces where all students feel they belong and have a voice.

This ground-breaking book will support and enhance the practice of anyone with a role that engages with or impacts upon the lives and experiences of historically excluded students, whether directly through teaching, pastoral and administrative support, or indirectly through leadership, governance, and policy-making.

‘Insider Guides to Success in Academia’ offers support and practical advice to doctoral students and early-career researchers. Covering the topics that really matter, but which often get overlooked, this indispensable series provides practical and realistic guidance to address many of the needs and challenges of trying to operate, and remain, in academia.

These neat pocket guides fill specific and significant gaps in current literature. Each book offers insider perspectives on the often-implicit rules of the game – the things you need to know but usually aren’t told by institutional postgraduate support, researcher development units, or supervisors – and will address a practical topic that is key to career progression. They are essential reading for doctoral students, early-career researchers, supervisors, mentors, or anyone looking to launch or maintain their career in academia.

Nadine Cavigioli is the Deputy Programme Manager for BA (Hons) Learning and Teaching with SEND at University of Leeds, UK. Her teaching practice and research are equity-centred and trauma-informed, aiming to reduce psychological barriers that a return to study later in life can bring.

Stacey Mottershaw is an Associate Professor (Teaching and Scholarship) at Leeds University Business School. Her research predominantly seeks to understand the support and career development needs of marginalised groups in higher education.

Rachael O’Connor is an Associate Professor in Legal Education, Academic Lead for Personal Tutoring at the University of Leeds, trustee of LawCare and solicitor (non-practising). Her research develops reverse mentoring and other initiatives to empower underrepresented voices in change-making.