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Distributed for University of British Columbia Press

The Equity Myth

Racialization and Indigeneity at Canadian Universities

Distributed for University of British Columbia Press

The Equity Myth

Racialization and Indigeneity at Canadian Universities

The university is often regarded as a bastion of liberal democracy where equity and diversity are vigorously promoted. In reality, the university still excludes many people and is a site of racialization that is subtle, complex, and sophisticated. This book, the first comprehensive, data-based study of racialized and Indigenous faculty members’ experiences in Canadian universities, challenges the myth of equity in higher education. Drawing on a rich body of survey data, interviews, and analysis of universities’ stated policies, leading scholars scrutinize what universities have done and question the effectiveness of their employment equity programs. They also make important recommendations as to how universities can address racialization and fulfill the promise of equity in the academy.

392 pages | © 2017


Table of Contents

Preface and Acknowledgments

1 Introduction: Setting the Context

2 Representational Analysis: Comparing Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia

3 Differences in Representation and Employment Income of Racialized University Professors in Canada

4 Academic Production, Reward, and Perceptions of Racialized Faculty Members

5 “Would Never Be Hired These Days”: The Precarious Work Situation of Racialized and Indigenous Faculty Members

6 The Everyday World of Racialized and Indigenous Faculty Members in Canadian Universities

7 “You Know Why You Were Hired, Don’t You?” Expectations and Challenges in University Appointments

8 Shifting Terrains: A Picture of the Institutionalization of Equity in Canadian Universities

9 Mechanisms to Address Inequities in Canadian Universities: The Performativity of Ineffectiveness

10 Disciplinary Silences: Race, Indigeneity, and Gender in the Social Sciences

11 A Dirty Dozen: Unconscious Race and Gender Biases in the Academy

12 Conclusion: Challenging the Myth

Appendix: List of Canadian Universities Reviewed

Notes; References; Index

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