A person’s social background is measured, among other things, on the level of education of their family. A person’s parents’ level of education has a significant influence on their social mobility and opportunities for advancement. It also influences the material and social resources available to them. At the University of Klagenfurt, a particularly large number of people are the first in their family to study, meaning they are so-called ‘first-generation students’. Although this is a positive development, the influence of a person’s social background does not end with access to higher education. Classist barriers continue to exist throughout the course of study, making it more difficult to study. To draw attention to this, this month we will take a closer look at the topics of classism and social background in higher education and highlight possible courses of action that will enable us to deal with them in a conscious and inclusive manner.

The structural barriers that first-generation students in particular (but not only) face during their studies include, for example, differences in resources due to their background. These include a lack of financial support or contact persons and role models from their environment who can relate to their university experiences and support them in this regard. This makes it more likely that first-generation students will have to work alongside their studies. At the same time, they need more resources to network and orient themselves socially at university and have to make a bigger effort to understand university-specific terminology and processes.

In this context, they often lack identification with the university and a sense of belonging to the university community. These experiences can be reinforced by everyday forms of classism, such as idealised academic habitus and language use.

What does Habitus mean?

Habitus (according to Bourdieu) refers to behaviours that are learned and reproduced in the context of one’s own social environment.

In the university context, a specific habitus is expected. The reactions of teaching staff when this expectation is not met can give students a feeling of ‘otherness’. The expected habitus in an academic context includes, for example, speaking without an accent or dialect. Dialects, i.e. regional language varieties, and sociolects, i.e. language varieties of socially defined groups, are often devalued. These forms of classism are – in contrast to structurally visible barriers – often subconscious and can contribute to the shaming of those affected.

The individuals affected are often expected to overcome or resolve the structures and disadvantages mentioned above themselves. However, there is also a need and opportunity for the university to take action – both on an individual and everyday level, as well as on a structural level – in order to provide support.

One existing support programme for first-generation students is the BeFirst! mentoring programme. As part of the programme, peers accompany students from their final year of school until the end of their first year of study at university and provide support, particularly with orientation at the university. The programme therefore follows the principle of ‘helping people to help themselves’.

There are a number of ways in which all members of the university community can counteract classist structures in everyday university life:

Everyone can:

• consider our own social background and the associated advantages or disadvantages, for example by asking the following questions:
  • What kind of support did I receive from my environment during my studies? How can I pass this on?
  • How many books were there in my home when I was growing up?
  • Does the university feel like a place where I belong? What does it take for it to become such a place for me and others?
• learn to appreciate the diversity of behaviours and language variants and insist less on a standard language.

Teaching staff can:

• reflect on their own educational biography, raise awareness and highlight the diverse educational backgrounds of academics.
• encourage students to have confidence in their own skills and abilities.
• when assessing or evaluating, consciously listen to the content of what is being said rather than the language used by a person.
• work with open access materials and make them available.

With the campaign “Youniversity: Celebrating diversity. Living respect.” the Equal Opportunities Working Group (AKG) of the University of Klagenfurt will focus on various diversity topics throughout the next two semesters. You can find more information on the campaign website.