Working towards equity of access to higher education remains a
fundamental issue of social justice. Despite substantial efforts to
redress historical exclusions via a wealth of government and
institutional policies, longstanding enrolment patterns persist and new
forms of inequality have emerged in a deeply stratified system.
Community Matters: The Complex Links Between Community and Young
People's Aspirations for Higher Education offers a new lens on equity
of access. The policy focus, nationally and globally, on widening
participation for under-represented target groups too readily treats
such groups as if they have a singular voice, a singular history, and a
singular set of concerns. Drawing on the perspectives of Australian
school students, their parents/carers, teachers, and a vast array of
residents from seven diverse communities, this book uses the lens of
'community' to reframe inequitable access. It does so by recognising the
complex social and cultural forces at play locally that shape how young
people form and articulate their post-school futures.
In light of unprecedented challenges facing the higher education sector,
this book interrogates dominant understandings of 'widening
participation' and 'aspiration, ' and offers timely insights about the
broader economic, social, and cultural backdrop of aspiration formation.
It is a valuable resource for academics and students interested in the
sociology of higher education and for practitioners working at the
forefront of equity policy and practice.
