How classist is Classics?
In this contribution to this BERA Blog special issue we report the findings of a national survey which investigated how far current demographics of the Classics teaching and learning community...
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The BERA Blog was established in 2015 to provide research-informed content on key educational issues in an accessible manner.
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Celebrating working-class strengths in higher education: Leveraging capitals to change the narrative
In higher education (HE), working-class people have long been viewed through a deficit lens which overlooks their cultural wealth and transformative potential. Drawing from our edited collection...
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Relatability, empathy and reflexivity: Why working-class academics don’t just belong in academia, they make it better
As a working-class woman, my positionality has shaped my perspective – not just as a learner but as a researcher and educator. My class background is a source of strength. Through my teaching...
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Why working-class perspectives make science education stronger
Science is often celebrated as the ultimate meritocracy. But while scientific Truth may be objective, the process of discovery is deeply influenced by who gets to participate in it. For too long,...
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The centre should not hold: Class-based disablism in the academy
Universities play a key role in the ‘meritocratic myth’. In our contribution to this BERA Blog special issue, we consider how disability and social class challenge the persistent regulative...
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Black working-class and missing: Where is the representation?
In this post for this BERA Blog special issue I reflect on the underrepresentation of Black working-class voices, which remain starkly underrepresented in education and literature. This is not...
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Adopting ‘a view from within’: On the importance of centring working-class knowledges in university curricula
UK higher education (HE) has undergone profound transformation since its early inception. No longer the preserve of the elite few, HE has since massified. Despite the expansion of UK HE being a...
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Redefining success: The role of employers in end-point assessments and apprenticeship completion
End-point assessments (EPAs) have become a defining feature of modern apprenticeships in England, serving as the ultimate measure of an apprentice’s occupational competence (MacArthur, 2023)....
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Pursuit of ethical research in a war zone: A quest for freedom
Conducting ethical research in war zones is a challenging yet crucial endeavour, especially when viewed as a practice of freedom. Existing scholarship on research ethics in conflict zones...
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