Racism, zero-hours contracts and complicity in higher education

2022/05/19 by Martin Myers · 1 voice
Social Sciences · #Critical Race Theory in Education #Higher Education Research Studies #Higher Education Governance and Development

paper · pdf · doi:10.1080/01425692.2022.2042192

openalex publication_date 2022/05/19 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/05/22

Abstract

The use of zero-hours contracts (ZHCs) has been associated with the transfer of risk away from corporate employers and towards individual employees. In universities increasing numbers of teaching staff are employed on such contracts. Academics from Black and minority ethnic backgrounds (BME) are disproportionately more likely to be employed on ZHCs. This article draws on the accounts of 21 BME academics to explore their personal experiences of ZHCs. The research identified a broad range of inequalities fostered by a lack of collegiality on the part of permanently contracted colleagues that materialized at the local, departmental level. Using the concepts of ‘risk’, ’risk culture’ and ‘White habitus’, this article explores the extent to which race and racism are a feature of collective departmental strategies to manage risk.

Citations

• When Whites Flock Together: The Social Psychology of White Habitus
• Decolonizing Bourdieu
• Managing professionals
• Confronting White privilege: the importance of intersectionality in the sociology of education
• Toward a Critical Race Theory of Education

Discussions

• Racism, zero-hours contracts and complicity in higher education Good to see @timeshighered.bsky.social article raising issue of ZHCs. Article below identifies ZHCs are used throughout academia (not ju [bsky, 0 points, 0 comments]