Majority versus Minorit y: Experiences of Black female PhD candidates in South Africa and the Netherlands
Universities around the world increasingl y speak about diversity and inclusion. Yet inequalities related to ra ce, gender, class and belonging still shape many academic environment s, Abongile Sonkosi found.
“Black women remain under
represented in doctoral education globally, and their experiences are
often overlooked in research. My dissertation explores what it means
to be a Black female PhD candidate in two different academic context
s: Rhodes University in South Africa and Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
in the Netherlands.
“My central research question is: How d
o Black female PhD candidates experience and navigate doctoral study
in these two contexts? Most existing theories about inequality in aca
demia come from Western perspectives and do not always account for Af
rican contexts or ways of understanding knowledge. By bringing Africa
n feminist thought into conversation with intersectionality, I aim to
better understand how power, identity, and institutional culture sha
pe doctoral experiences.”
Shaped by context< /p>
“This research shows that the experiences of Black female PhD
candidates are deeply shaped by context. In South Africa, Black wome
n may be part of the demographic majority, yet they still encounter c
hallenges related to gender expectations, financial pressures and ins
titutional power. In the Netherlands, many participants experienced b
eing one of the few Black women in their academic environments, which
sometimes led to feelings of isolation or heightened visibility.
“My main conclusion is that doctoral experiences are not shaped
by a single factor such as race or gender alone. Instead, they are i
nfluenced by a combination of factors, including race, gender, class,
nationality, immigration status and institutional culture. The resea
rch is particularly relevant today as universities worldwide debate d
iversity, inclusion, and the decolonisation of higher education. It h
ighlights the need for more equitable academic environments.”
More information on the thesis
DESCRIPTION: Universities around the world increasingly speak about diversity and inclusion. Yet inequalities related to race, gend er, class and belonging still shape many academic environments, Abong ile Sonkosi found. “Black women remain underrepresented in doctoral education globally, and their experiences are often overloo ked in research. My dissertation explores what it means to be a Black female PhD candidate in two different academic contexts: Rhodes Univ ersity in South Africa and Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam in the Nether lands.