Navigating the Crossroads: Intersectionality in Engaged Scholarship Among Black Female Academics in South African Universities

Abstract : In South Africa, where women make up more than half of the population but are still underrepresented in higher education. Within engaged scholarship initiatives, black female academics encounter intersecting challenges that are shaped by factors such as gender, race, class, and other aspects of identity. These difficulties are exacerbated by the prevalence of Gender-Based Violence (GBV) and overlapping roles, such as caring for the home and providing care for others. Furthermore, in South African universities women are regarded as a niche area in the academic community. The study aims to explore how different sides of identity interact and influence experiences in academic engagement, highlighting the challenges and possibilities Black women face in higher education. To obtain insights from Black female academics in South African universities, this study used a qualitative research methodology. The results highlight the complex interactions between intersectional identities in Black female academics’ engaged scholarship initiatives. Findings further reveal the difficulties they encounter, such as managing their academic obligations with caregiving and household duties and their academic goals. The study also emphasizes how marginalized women’s studies programs are in South African universities, which speaks to larger concerns about the acceptance and validation of women’s voices and viewpoints in higher education. The study recommends the creation of a more equitable and inclusive academic environment for Black female academics in South Africa based on the findings. Among these are, putting in place programs and policies to assist work-life balance and cater to the unique needs of Black women in higher education, boosting the integration of gender perspectives across disciplines, and increasing the visibility and acknowledgment of women’s studies programs in South African universities, and supplying Black female academics with mentors and support systems to help them overcome intersectional obstacles and progress in their academic careers.