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"I am because we are": Ubuntu as a framework for social capital building among Black Women in the academy

Ikpeh, Chiedza
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Federico Awi, Iman
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University of Chester; University of Leeds
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2025-07-02
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Education
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Ubuntu, an African philosophy centered on interconnectedness and mutual care, offers a transformative framework for addressing systemic inequities in academia (Dillard and Neal, 2020; Letseka, 2012). Its ethos is the interdependence of individuals and the importance of fostering shared humanity to uplift all members of a community (Mbigi and Maree, 1995; Letseka, 2012). This philosophy challenges the individualistic paradigms that dominate many academic environments, particularly in the West (Metz, 2017). Research continues to evidence that Black Women face significant systemic barriers in the academy, including underrepresentation in faculty and leadership roles, exclusion from traditional mentorship networks and limited access to professional opportunities (Patton and Catching, 2009; Collins, 2000). In 2022–2023, only 0.2% of professors in the UK were Black Women, with just 60 out of 24,405 professor positions held by them (HESA, 2024). These stark disparities underscore the urgent need for Ubuntu-inspired approaches to academic equity. This paper proposes that embedding Ubuntu’s principles into higher education policies and structures could foster mentorship, collaboration, and social capital, creating equitable networks that empower marginalized voices. Ubuntu’s holistic approach addresses inequities while promoting inclusivity and collective progress, paving the way for systemic transformation in higher education.
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Ikpeh, C., & Awi, I. F. (2025). "I am because we are": Ubuntu as a framework for social capital building among Black Women in the academy. Frontiers in sociology, 10, 1555236. https://doi.org/10.3389/fsoc.2025.1555236
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Frontiers in Sociology
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http://hdl.handle.net/10034/629552
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10.3389/fsoc.2025.1555236
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2297-7775
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