Research objectives

• I will conduct a qualitative analysis of interview transcripts surrounding students’ experiences of imposter syndrome at Durham University, what it means to them, and how they feel universities should better support them

• I will use these transcripts to understand how linguistic factors such as accent and native language can impact inclusion within the university environment, and potentially lead to imposter syndrome

• I will draw up a set of recommendations, informed by my research, about how academic practice can be improved, focusing on developing student support, as well as raising awareness about imposter syndrome

Project background 

Imposter syndrome is characterised by feelings of not belonging in a certain setting and is often applied to students feeling like they are not welcome or worthy to be at university. This is often shaped by our identities, as Addison and Stephens Griffin (2022) report that imposter syndrome tends to be shaped by structural inequality, such as gender, ethnicity or social class, contributing towards a sense of being an outsider at university for students from minority or marginalised groups. This can pose implications for mental and physical health, with Meadhbh Murray et al (2023: 757) pointing towards the difficulties of navigating university with a marginalised identity, describing this as ‘difficult emotional work’, alongside the potential physical symptoms of imposter syndrome, such as panic attacks (Addison and Stephens Griffin, 2022). 

It is apparent from various reports, as well as interviews with students, that imposter syndrome is often shaped by linguistic factors within the university environment. For instance, students speaking with regional accents, or having English as their additional language, often report feelings of exclusion or not belonging, whether this be in the academic environment, or social settings. Lawler (1999) refers to a hierarchy of accents within the UK, with RP (received pronunciation) often being perceived as more intelligent and having more value than regional accents. Some students may resort to ‘code-switching’ (Rollock, 2014), which involves adjusting one’s accent in order to assimilate with others. 

Methodology

My research will involve a thorough qualitative analysis of pre-conducted interview transcripts, where students have spoken about what imposter syndrome means to them, and how it has impacted their lives. These interviews were conducted using a semi-structured approach, with questions including ‘what does imposter syndrome look like to you?’, as well as asking what needs to change at Durham University to reduce or mitigate imposter syndrome. I will use thematic analysis techniques in order to closely identify and analyse common trends and themes which appear in the data, using an inductive approach to highlight the more frequent experiences and ideas, which will shape my final report. 

Bibliography

Addison, M. and Stephens-Griffin, N. (2022) ‘The Canary in the Coalmine: The Impact of Imposter Syndrome on Students’ Learning Experience at University’, in The Palgrave Handbook of Imposter Syndrome in Higher Education. Cham: Springer International Publishing, pp. 107–123.

Lawler, S. (1999) ‘“Getting out and Getting Away”: Women’s Narratives of Class Mobility’, Feminist review, (63), pp. 3–24.

Meadhbh Murray, Ó. et al. (2023) ‘Deindividualising Imposter Syndrome: Imposter Work among Marginalised STEMM Undergraduates in the UK’, Sociology (Oxford), 57(4), pp. 749–766.

Rollock N (2014) Race, class and ‘the harmony of dispositions’. Sociology 48(3): 445–451.