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Routes through higher education: BME students and the development of a ‘specialisation of consciousness’

Bhopal, Kalwant; Myers, Martin; Pitkin, Clare

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Authors

Kalwant Bhopal

Clare Pitkin



Abstract

With changing demographics and the advent of mass higher education, there has been a significant impact on graduate transitions which has led to greater inequalities in access to social support during the transitionary period between undergraduate study and entrance into the labour market. This article explores the experiences of students in their final year of undergraduate study by drawing on 43 interviews with Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) students. Using Bourdieu, we argue that BME students preparing to enter the labour market display a ‘specialisation of consciousness’: a set of practices framed by their prior background and experience, choice of university and the support derived from attending university. ‘Specialisation of consciousness’ is an ongoing process in which BME students identify and understand racial inequalities in higher education and accept the limiting consequences these have on transitions into the labour market or further study.

Citation

Bhopal, K., Myers, M., & Pitkin, C. (2020). Routes through higher education: BME students and the development of a ‘specialisation of consciousness’. British Educational Research Journal, 46(6), 1321-1337. https://doi.org/10.1002/berj.3634

Journal Article Type Article
Acceptance Date Apr 20, 2020
Online Publication Date May 15, 2020
Publication Date 2020-12
Deposit Date May 22, 2020
Publicly Available Date Mar 28, 2024
Journal British Educational Research Journal
Print ISSN 0141-1926
Electronic ISSN 1469-3518
Publisher Wiley
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 46
Issue 6
Pages 1321-1337
DOI https://doi.org/10.1002/berj.3634
Keywords Education
Public URL https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/4462921
Publisher URL https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/berj.3634
Additional Information Received: 2019-08-02; Accepted: 2020-04-20; Published: 2020-05-15

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