Education | Brookeshistoryjourna

Degrees of Disadvantage: Are British Universities Shy of Getting Rid of Racism and Inequality?

The academic year of 2020-21 saw a record-breaking increase in diverse students at Oxford University. Along with the rise of state school students and disabled students, recruitment oversaw a 50% increase of Black, Asian and other Ethnic Minority students. Despite this seemingly positive statistic, it's important to understand the deeper ideologies, controversies and history surrounding race in British higher education.

The relationship between race and education in Britain has long been intertwined with the nation’s ever-evolving identity, shaped by events from the mid-20th century onwards. By examining the higher education construct, particularly in elite institutions like Oxford, we can uncover how racial dynamics have influenced the educational landscape over the last 70 years.

First, it is important to highlight the key themes, which arguably represent the positive and negative implications that higher education in Britain has on race. These themes include school discipline, subject diversity, and educational opportunities, which all reveal a long-standing struggle for racial and ethnic quality. A turning point in the ‘Race and Education’ relationship can be traced back to the British Nationality Act of 1948, which ultimately led to a major influx of “non-white migrants”, specifically immigrating from the Commonwealth, causing Britain to become more diverse over the coming years. After the Second World War, major British cities such as London, Manchester and Birmingham became largely populated with immigrants from all over the world, most notably from India and Pakistan, the Caribbean and Africa, creating diverse environments, especially within schools.

By the 1950s, London had also welcomed Greek and Irish migrants, adding to the influx of culture within England. Despite the oft-quoted British hospitality, many of the children in these communities faced significant racial challenges. Many were placed in ‘special education’ programs, limiting their educational opportunities as well as segregating them from mainstream white education. As well as the 50s, the 1970s and the 80s also highlighted new experiences of Chinese and Bangladeshi students who faced a unique form of discrimination. Chinese students were labelled as “model minorities” and excluded because of their perceived “foreignness,” while Bangladeshi students were criticised as underachievers. The racist mentalities expressed by the white majority highlight the disproportion of educational treatment that students from different ethnic backgrounds have received.

Racial issues regarding migrants persisted in 2001, with many, especially those of African and Afro-Caribbean origin living in run-down housing in London. These unequal social issues can help to provide an insight into what the inequality regarding race looked like in education systems. This intersectional approach is important when dealing with issues of race, as the complex debate is very intertwined with class and gender.

This is no to say that notable efforts have not been made to remove social prejudice, through legislative efforts, such as the Race Relations Act of 1968 and its 2000 amendment. This has aimed to combat areas such as employment, housing and education from the 1960s, hoping to tackle the evident inequality present in British society, and educational institutions. This social Act lays the foundations for issues regarding race and education.

Oxford’s Colonial Legacy: Progress or Performance?

The University of Oxford is no stranger to controversy. Criticism often points to its deep-rooted ties to British imperialism, embodied by figures such as Cecil Rhodes. The statue of Rhodes remains on display above Oriel College as a symbol of his legacy. Many feel as though the promotion of such figures maintains the white supremacy that existed before the 1950s and the refusal of removal only highlights the combination of racism and education which still exists today. This is a stark contrast to the dramatic fall of slave trader Edward Colston's statue in Bristol.

‘Statue of Cecil Rhodes, above Oriel College entrance’

Michael Race, “Cecil Rhodes Statue Will Not Be Removed by Oxford College” BBC news, May 20, 2021. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-oxfordshire-57175057.

Although the statue still stands with all that it represents: Oxford’s colonial complicity. New bursaries have been created, such as the Rhodes scholarship, which promotes diversity in opportunity and accessibility at the colleges. These efforts sparked mixed reactions. Supporters see the scholarship as a step towards decolonisation, a way to rewrite Oxford’s narrative and acknowledge the absent diversity. On the other hand, others argue it is a form of ‘whitewashing’, attempting to align with contemporary liberal values without addressing deeper systematic inequalities within the institution. Universities rectify that this falls under Positive action - this is not to be confused with positive discrimination, as the university is quick to clarify!

Oxford has faced further criticism for its lack of initiative in broadening its support network for minority students. The Oxford-Arlan Hamilton and Earline Butler Sims Scholarship, created in 2019 to support black students, was seen as a progressive step. However, many see it as a reactionary step, as it came in shortly after the Stormzy Scholarship with their rivals Cambridge. In 2019, a third of Oxford colleges admitted fewer than four Black students each, this starkly contrasts with Cambridge’s reported 50% increase in Black student admissions. The debate continues as to whether these efforts are genuine progress or simply a response to public scrutiny.

Behind the Rules: The Hidden Racial Bias in UK Schools' Discipline

Discrimination continues to cast a shadow on the UK’s education system with students from different ethnicities being affected by exclusion and stereotyping. UK education is founded on the principles of merit and potential; nevertheless, to understand the relevance of race in school discipline, higher education is overly narrowly focused; so, a broader perspective will be taken on the issue of school discipline.

Gypsy, Roma and Traveller (GRT) children saw the highest rates of exclusion during the 1990s and 2000s. These exclusions stem from cultural misunderstandings and a lack of institutional support. This consistent discrimination continued into the 2010s and 20s, this longevity only exposes the structural shortcomings in meeting GRT children's needs. Although statistically there are fewer exclusions for students from Bangladesh and Pakistan, they nevertheless experience this racial discrimination which is further highlighted by their underrepresented positions of leadership in higher education. Students of mixed races are especially at risk because they frequently slip between the cracks in generalised policies, which results in unfair exclusionary actions.

The variations of exclusion and discrimination towards minority background students are caused by several important reasons. One important factor is unspoken prejudice among teachers. For instance, Black students are frequently incorrectly perceived as having an unfriendly or aggressive ‘attitude’. In the same way, South Asian students could be passed over for leadership roles due to the assumption that they are passive. GRT students experience systemic discrimination due to discrimination related to their cultural practices and nomadic lifestyles.

These misconceptions increase the difference in educational achievement by creating an atmosphere in which minority students feel misunderstood and unfairly treated. To challenge and address racial disparities in school discipline, the UK education system should adopt a comprehensive approach that includes policy reforms, better training for staff, and a cultural shift toward equity and inclusion.

Institutional Racism and Ethnocentrism in Higher Education

Institutional racism refers to the structural practices that systematically affect the prospects of Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) communities. It encompasses the hidden racist values, practices, and procedures that form the institutional norms of structures and organisations, becoming closely associated with white privilege. This form of racism is concealed, hidden and disguised yet remains consistent in its impact of strategic effect. Given the pervasive, macro-level nature of racism in society, higher education institutions, such as universities, are not immune to its influence. Universities, historically, have played a significant role in producing the knowledge that underpins racist ideologies. Sociologist Kehinde Andrews, the UK’s first black studies professor, has pointed out that the ethnocentric nature of curricula contributes to this issue, explaining the dominance of the "collection of dead white men" as foundational figures in fields like sociology. In his opinion, universities do not do enough to challenge racism.

This ethnic homogeneity is evident across various universities, but the University of Oxford provides a good example. Minority students continue to experience marginalisation and exclusion at the University of Oxford, where their representation is minimal. This is underscored by the honest statements of Oxford students who acknowledge the alienation faced by Black students and express reservations about encouraging them to apply. Even at institutions with a more diverse student body, such as Birmingham City University with students from ethnic minority backgrounds amounting to

'Unliveable' UCL Hall Reveals Yet More Structural Racism and Management Hypocrisy

50% of the intake, similar issues persist, indicating a systemic problem rather than a series of isolated incidents. Students attending the University of Manchester organised a walkout against the “culture of institutional racism” after racist language was used in lectures. The lecturer had repeatedly used racial slurs saying how its connotations “were not that offensive”, and providing racialised feedback on an end-of-year essay demanding the same student not to be “tempted to use the essay as a platform for personal exasperation or indignation around racism”.

In 2015, University College London led the campaign “Why Is My Curriculum White?” which calls to decolonise education. This is due to the widely recognised belief that the curriculum is built solely on the white ideas of white authors while ignoring the history of black individuals. This has long been recognised in historic institutions, like that of Oxford, which have promoted ‘noble’ and ‘core’ subjects such as History, Latin and Literature - all of which have and continue to insist on white elitism. These disciplines were meant to transform (mostly male) individuals into being a ‘gentleman’ suited for governing the country (and empire). Not only does this promote white supremacist ideas, but it also encourages BAME pupils to become isolated and undervalued within the education system. Decolonisation of educational curriculums is an issue which holds great similarity with the controversy of Cecil Rhodes. Despite the rise of 15.7% of BAME students starting an undergraduate education, it is statistically recognised that Black students are almost one and a half times more likely to drop out of university in comparison to white and Asian students. Alongside the 13% gap between the likelihood of white students and students from BAME backgrounds achieving a 1st or a 2:1 degree classification.

This isolation is evident in the lack of diversity and representation among university staff. In 2019 Nicola Rollock, Professor of Social Policy and Race at King's College London, interviewed 20 of the UK’s total 25 black female professors under the University and College Union. Of the 20 professors, they all had experienced persistent bullying, stereotyping and microaggression, all based on race. Vice-president of the National Union of Students, Amatey Doku, reminds us that however critical statistics and data analytics are in ensuring both accountability and transparency, it must be remembered that ‘we are dealing with the lives of individuals who face systemic discrimination from all parts of society’ every day.

By Taimoor shah Eshaq zai, Isobel Davies, Nikki Champion, Pippa Speed, and Josa Wittcomb

Brookes History Journal