Intersectional policies in Higher Education and Research: a scoping literature review

Abstract

Gender equality has been one of the European Union’s founding principles since its establishment in 1957. The European Commission recently adopted an intersectional approach to its (gender) equality policies in order to include those who experience multiple, interlocking forms of inequalities and discrimination yet remain invisible in these policies (Garcia and Zajicek 2022; European Commission 2020a). Despite a plethora of academic work unpacking intersectionality, the knowledge on how to design, implement and assess ‘intersectional equality policies’ remains scarce. This has challenged policymakers in research organizations on how to tackle these intersecting equalities in their policies and practice (Christoffersen 2021). This scoping literature review addresses this knowledge gap. Sixty-one articles retrieved from Web of Science and Scopus were analysed to identify the intersectional approaches used to study equality policies in Higher Education and Research institutes (HE&R). The goal was to map the existing scientific literature using an intersectional approach to the study of equality policies in a HE&R context, what policy measures are mentioned in these studies that are currently in place to target intersecting inequalities and present which policy measures the studies perceived as (in)effective. The results show that the available literature is limited. It predominantly consists of qualitative studies in the United States and the United Kingdom investigating the lived experiences of minoritised students and staff on inclusion and exclusion in research organizations. Although this individual level is crucial to include the needs of those experiencing intersecting inequalities into effective intersectional policies, there is a gap of research on the organizational and structural level of oppressive structures in HE&R and how they mutually reinforce each other in policymaking processes. To conclude, knowledge gaps and recommendations are formulated for scholars, policymakers and practitioners.