‘That’s bang out of order, mate!’ : Gendered and racialized micro-practices of disadvantage and privilege in UK business schools

Sliwa, Martyna and Gordon, Lisi and Mason, Katy and Beech, Nic (2024) ‘That’s bang out of order, mate!’ : Gendered and racialized micro-practices of disadvantage and privilege in UK business schools. Gender, Work and Organization, 31 (5). pp. 1852-1872. ISSN 0968-6673

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Abstract

The existence of gendered and racialized inequalities in academia has been well documented. To date, research has primarily addressed the intersectional disadvantages faced by members of minority groups, with much less attention paid to the privileges experienced by dominant group members. This paper draws on 21 interviews and 36 audio-diary entries completed by a diverse group of senior higher education leaders who have successfully navigated the career ladder in UK business schools. By juxtaposing minority with dominant group members’ narratives, the study advances intersectionality research, offering a contextualized analysis of the micro-practices of both disadvantage and privilege in academia. Through a focus on how micro-practices perform differently for members of different groups, it foregrounds ‘obvious’ as well as nuanced differences that contribute to the accumulation of disadvantage and privilege throughout an individual’s career, and emphasizes simultaneity as crucial to understanding the workings of gendered and racialized disadvantage and privilege.