Class matters in UK higher education

Higher education in the UK has undergone profound and rapid change in the past 20 years. Policy initiatives aimed at the sector have led to research investigating impacts upon the participation and exclusion of potential student groups. In addition, employment conditions for academic staff have come under scrutiny. This article investigates the ambiguous position of the academic from a working class background, particularly in light of these policy changes. It makes use of Bourdieu's conceptual schema to understand the multi-dimensional nature of class position and corresponding mental structures. Techniques of external audit and self-surveillance are also investigated in relation to their differential impact upon groups of academic staff. Finally, a plea is made for more detailed empirical work which places class at the centre of the analysis in UK higher education.