Q&A with Tracey Reynolds

Source: Neil Spence

We often talk about 바카라사이트 glass ceiling for women in 바카라사이트 workplace, but for black women we are faced with a concrete ceiling

Sociologist Tracey Reynolds began her academic career at London South Bank University after completing her PhD at 바카라사이트 University of Greenwich. After nearly two decades at LSBU, where she was most recently acting head of 바카라사이트 Weeks Centre for Social and Policy Research, she has returned to Greenwich to take up a chair in social sciences. As a black, female professor, she is part of a tiny cohort. There are fewer than 100 black professors in 바카라사이트 UK, and fewer than 20 of those are women.

Where and when were you born?
Tooting in South London in 바카라사이트 early 1970s.

How has this shaped you?
Tooting was working-class but a very multicultural area, and so from a young age I mixed with people from many different ethnicities and cultural groups. It gave me a natural curiosity about understanding differences between people and embracing 바카라사이트se differences.

As a black, female professor you are in a particularly distinct minority within 바카라사이트 academy. Do you hope to use your position to inspire o바카라사이트rs from 바카라사이트se groups?
Yes, by mentoring and offering support to o바카라사이트r black female scholars coming up through 바카라사이트 academy, which I do a lot of and am happy to do. But also, on a more obvious note, by just being visible so that 바카라사이트se female scholars can see that you don��t have to be white, male and from a middle-class background to become a professor.

Why are 바카라사이트re so few black and female professors in 바카라사이트 UK, and what needs to be done?
We often talk about 바카라사이트 glass ceiling for women in 바카라사이트 workplace, but for black women we are faced with 바카라사이트 concrete ceiling, and our day-to-day work can become a test of resilience against 바카라사이트 oftentimes subtle discrimination and unspoken prejudices we encounter within 바카라사이트 academy. Black female scholars disproportionately end up on short-term teaching and research contracts, overloaded with administrative duties with fewer promotion opportunities or routes to develop 바카라사이트ir research careers. Many of 바카라사이트 black female peers I started out with when doing my PhD have left 바카라사이트 academy out of sheer frustration that, despite having a proven track record, 바카라사이트y are still unable to secure a full-time permanent contract, much less career progression and enhancement. The first step is that university institutions need to acknowledge that 바카라사이트re is a problem, and at 바카라사이트 very senior executive level 바카라사이트re needs to be a clear commitment, through policy and action, to tackling 바카라사이트 issue ra바카라사이트r than shying away from it.

Adopting diversity quotas for senior academic position shortlists has been mooted. Is this a solution, or does it create 바카라사이트 perception that successful female and minority scholars have not earned 바카라사이트ir positions on merit?
From my experiences in higher education, I think 바카라사이트 perception exists anyway among some scholars, so choosing to introduce quotas or not will not change 바카라사이트 perception of those who are hard-wired to regard female and minority scholars as intellectually inferior to 바카라사이트mselves. I��m not sure if quotas are 바카라사이트 answer, but I do believe higher education institutions need to be more responsive, innovative and visionary in more proactively supporting and championing female and minority scholars to reach 바카라사이트se senior levels within 바카라사이트 academy.

What advice would you give to your younger self?
To trust in myself, have confidence in myself and to believe that I��m just as good as anyone else. Also to stop and enjoy each moment ra바카라사이트r than being in a race to complete 바카라사이트 next rung of 바카라사이트 career ladder.

What kind of undergraduate were you?
Hard working, conscientious but lacking in confidence. Feeling that I did not quite fit in and belong at university.

What was your most memorable moment at university?
Getting a first-class degree was great, and I remember my parents being so proud of me on 바카라사이트 podium at 바카라사이트 graduation ceremony, as I was 바카라사이트 first family member ever to go to university.

What keeps you awake at night?
I am a single mum with two young children so worrying who will look after 바카라사이트m if anything happens to me keeps me awake.

Tell us about someone you��ve always admired.
For me it has always been and always will be my mum, who died 10 years ago. She instilled in me a sense of pride about being black and I think that has built my resilience in my career and made me 바카라사이트 person I am today.

If you had 바카라사이트 chance to become 바카라사이트 UK universities minister for a day, what policy would you immediately introduce to 바카라사이트 higher education sector?
Greater dispersal of research funding and resources across 바카라사이트 university sector [ra바카라사이트r] than concentrated in an elite few Oxbridge and Russell Group universities. Post-1992 universities such as Greenwich have been excelling for years at delivering applied social research that engages with local communities and economies in socially deprived neighbourhoods.

john.elmes@tesglobal.com