Beyond the Margins: The Experiences of Black Muslim Female Students in UK Universities

This study seeks to initiate a dialogue about the experiences and motivations of Black Muslim women in UK higher education. The primary objective of this research was to explore the factors that drove these students to pursue higher education and to identify the challenges they encountered while navigating academia. Additionally, the study aimed to investigate the role that inclusivity and a sense of belonging played in the women's experiences of UK HE. A further objective was to identify ways in which universities can better support these students to ensure they feel represented and included in the UK higher education system.

The conceptual framework underpinning this project comprised the use of three theories: Intersectionality, agency, and satisfied settling. Intersectionality shed light on the negative experiences of the women, including racism, discrimination, structural inequality, and Islamophobia. The notion of agency highlighted the various ways in which the women exercised their agency to overcome the challenges they faced in HE. Finally, the concept of satisfied settling illustrated how the women ultimately settled for less in academia, having come to terms with the fact that they were unable to change the structures that excluded them.

To gather the stories of sixteen Black Muslim female students, I employed a two-phase narrative interview technique. The study revealed that these students encounter numerous obstacles in their pursuit of higher education, including feelings of isolation, exclusion, discrimination, racism, and Islamophobia. Despite these challenges, the participants reported some positive experiences with inclusivity in UK higher education. However, the measures put in place to promote inclusivity have not been sufficient in eliminating the racist beliefs and practices that disadvantage Black Muslim female students. While institutional efforts to foster inclusivity have not been entirely effective, the women employed their own agency to create a sense of belonging within higher education to persist and complete their studies. Consequently, this led the women to settle for less in academia.