Editors’ Introduction: Race and the Awarding Gap

This book is ostensibly about the white-BAME awarding gap, but any attempt to understand its causes and effects warrants a wider and deeper investigation of how structural racism and institutional whiteness permeate in contemporary UK society. Universities may not be the most egregious offenders, but they have nevertheless struggled to break beyond the liberal complacency that for many years has considered educational equity to be synonymous with educational access. This chapter traces the history of equality, diversity, and inclusivity policy (EDI) in higher education, highlighting the legislative and policy drivers for advancing racial equity. It then establishes the book’s theoretical framework, combining Bourdieu’s theory of capitals, critical race theory, and self-determination theory. Finally, the chapter introduces the book’s aims and purpose, drawing on the work of the University of Kent’s Student Success Team to understand and enhance the experiences of BAME undergraduates.