ABSTRACT
Much research has been published documenting the persistent inequalities in access to higher education based on structural constraints such as race, class, gender, and educational background (for example Archer, 2003; Dudley Jenkins and Moses, 2014; Furlong and Cartmel, 2009; Johnston, 2010; MountfordZimdars, Sabbagh, and Post, 2014). Beyond accessing higher education, these inequalities are further mirrored in student success and graduation trends. Selected chapters in this book present evidence of these inequalities. Particularly concerning are the global nature and the persistence of inequalities with respect to participation and performance in higher education, even in contexts where participation rates are relatively high. Clearly, widening participation or improving university access with success is an issue of social justice (Marginson, 2011).
