Forty years of social justice research in Australasia: examining equity in inequitable settings

Abstract

ABSTRACT Over the last forty years, Australasian researchers have witnessed problems and negative trends relating to academics and students from marginalised groups operating within the higher education sector. This article demonstrates that these researchers have become increasingly aware of the need for more equitable practices in higher education. However, this has occurred at a time when, though universities have grown, there continues to be an undercurrent of privilege that prevents real systemic change in the system. The article examines Australasian research across numerous fields of marginalisation through a Bourdieusian lens to investigate why marginalised groups have faced issues within the system, why improvements have continued to be made, but also, why these improvements have not been enough to prompt genuine change – despite decades of effort by social justice researchers. The article demonstrates to academics, researchers, students, administrators, and policy makers how for all the progress that has been made in making universities more equitable places for academics and students, some backwards steps have occurred. The article finally highlights that for universities re-evaluating their priorities in a COVID-19 world, this is an opportune time to make sure that systemic changes to include people from marginalised backgrounds begin to be enacted.