Culture shock in British universities: An investigation of visual and discursive practices for intersectional representation

An egalitarian approach to opportunities in education can be seen as a central form of justice. However studies in critical race theory and social and economic disadvantage note ongoing discrepancies in representation and success rates at British universities. A factor for further investigation is student non-identification with university discourses, or ‘culture shock’. This dissociation is often treated as a focus for wellbeing centres, rather than an integral concern for the pedagogies and content of learning programmes. This research will investigate how British universities contribute to culture shock, with an intersectional consideration of ethnicity and class among British students. Proposed methods include qualitative interviews, with self-identifying students and lecturers who teach undergraduates. Responding to the findings, participatory workshops in visual and discursive practices for ‘care of the self’ and ‘speaking out’ (Foucault’s parrhesia) will be developed with a network of universities, aiming to input methods of self-representation for responsive learning environments.