Women and people of colour are underrepresented in physics in many parts of the world, to the detriment of the field. How do academics' beliefs about the role of 'brilliance' in career success contribute to these representation gaps, and what can be done to address them?

In this autoethnographic article, I explore my experiences as an early career Academic of Color. Drawing on previous theoretical constructions such as the Strong Black Woman schema (SBW), I present these experiences through the lens of DC Comics' Vixen, a Black female superhero. This research highlights systemic disparities in the treatment of…

The Conference on College Composition and Communication (CCCC) recognizes the need to promote inclusive approaches and praxes responsive to the needs and experiences of disabled people. Committing to full access and inclusion guarantees the rights of those with disabilities in classrooms and in the profession and energizes practical and…

The distinguished US philosopher Elizabeth Anderson, who teaches at the University of Michigan, answers questions put to her by John White about educational aspects of her work in moral and political philosophy. She begins by describing her indebtedness to Dewey in his views on developing students' capacities for intelligent enquiry and as…

This commentary explains and expands upon Wenger's concept of communities of practice. Knowledge construction to improve common practice within a community committed to learning is critical. Vertical and horizontal communication, interactions within and between boundaries of organizations are necessary for creating learning organizations. One…

In many STEM-related fields, graduating doctoral students are often expected to assume a postdoctoral position as a prerequisite to a faculty position, yet there is no such expectation in mathematics education. This phenomenon is likely due in large part to an abundance of faculty positions; however, it may also result from the field's…

U.S. universities have had century-long success in absorbing existing professions into their curricula--by making academe their gatekeeper. These professions often started with apprenticeships and short training courses leading to a certification examination--and were then elevated and "academized" into a comprehensive body of knowledge,…

This article has its origins in the Macpherson report's contention that public organisations in British society are characterised by institutional racism. Drawing upon the Parekh report's identification of ten components of institutional racism, the article examines which, if any, of these components are manifest in a university in Central England…

This theme issue of "Journal of Teaching in Physical Education" constitutes the first concentrated effort to reflect on critical dimensions and issues related to the quality of doctoral programs in Sport Pedagogy/Physical Education Teacher Education (PETE) in the United States (hereafter referred to as D-PETE programs). For a number of years now,…

In this article the authors take up the invitation to respond to the previous articles in the special issue. They discuss why it is so difficult to speak and write about gender and sexuality, and difference more generally, in the neoliberalised university. They make the case that the neoliberal university engages and uses categorical difference,…

In this article, the author offers suggestions for effectively addressing disability in and outside the classroom. She believes that a new vision for disability education that moves away from a limitations model and toward humanizing disabilities is crucial for campus communities. Through an introduction to universal design of instruction,…

Nearly 10 years ago, the author wrote an essay for "The Chronicle" on the underrepresentation of Asian-Americans in academic leadership, especially in institutions and disciplines that have a high percentage of students and faculty members of Asian or Pacific Island ancestry. There have been changes over the past 10 years, but not so much for…

Historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) constitute only 3 percent of U.S. colleges and universities, yet they enroll 28 percent of all African American students in higher education and educate 40 percent of the black Americans who earn doctorates or first professional degrees. Just fifteen HBCUs accounted for half of the institutions…

Declining opportunities for young researchers at universities and proposals to improve the situation are discussed. Concerns related to opportunities for young researchers include: (1) the leveling-off of student enrollments at universities; (2) the fact that tenure limits faculty turnover; (3) possible effects on research if the age distribution…

Data are presented on women in higher education, along with information on federal legislation to eliminate sex discrimination, issues concerning redressing employment discrimination, specific problems with legislative procedures and enforcement of legislation, and case studies that highlight some of the processes involved. Evidence is cited that…