Same storm, different boats: the impact of COVID-19 on Black students and academic staff in UK and US higher education

Arday, J. and Jones, C. (2022) Same storm, different boats: the impact of COVID-19 on Black students and academic staff in UK and US higher education. Higher Education, (doi: 10.1007/s10734-022-00939-0) (Early Online Publication)

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Abstract

The permanence of systemic racism in the UK and USA means that Black people are disadvantaged in myriad ways, including within the Academy. While the disproportionate impact of COVID-19, alongside the Black Lives Matter movement, has increased awareness of the challenges faced by Black communities, these issues remain, both in and beyond higher education. Furthermore, there is still a paucity of research individualising the experiences of Black people, who are often homogenised with other ethnic minority groups. This paper explores the impact of COVID-19 on UK and US Black students and academic staff, utilising a critical race theory (CRT) framework. Analysis revealed that Black students and staff experienced COVID-19 against the backdrop of racism as a “pandemic within a pandemic” (Laurencin and Walker, Cell Systems 11:9–10, 2020), including racial (re)traumatisation, loneliness and isolation. Other themes included precarious employment and exploitation. Recommendations are offered for penetrative interventions that can support Black students and staff in the wake of strained race relations neglecting their adverse experiences and a global pandemic.

Item Type:Articles
Status:Early Online Publication
Refereed:Yes
Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID:Arday, Professor Jason
Authors: Arday, J., and Jones, C.
College/School:College of Social Sciences > School of Education
Journal Name:Higher Education
Publisher:Springer
ISSN:0018-1560
ISSN (Online):1573-174X
Published Online:25 October 2022
Copyright Holders:Copyright © 2022 The Authors
First Published:First published in Higher Education 2022
Publisher Policy:Reproduced under a Creative Commons License

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