Equity
Definition: Different individuals have different starting positions (cf. “opportunity gaps”) and needs. Whereas equal treatment focuses on treating all individuals equally, equitable treatment aims to level the playing field by actively increasing opportunities for under-represented minorities. Equitable treatment aims to attain equality through “fairness”: taking into account different needs for support for different individuals, instead of focusing merely on the needs of the majority.
Related terms: Diversity, Equality, Fairness, Inclusion, Social justice
References:
- Albayrak-Aydemir, N. (2020). The hidden costs of being a scholar from the global south. Retrieved from https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/highereducation/2020/02/20/the-hidden-costs-of-being-a-scholar-from-the-global-south/
- Posselt, J. R. (2020). Equity in Science: Representation, Culture, and the Dynamics of Change in Graduate Education. Stanford University Press. https://books.google.de/books?id=2CjwDwAAQBAJ
Originally drafted by: Gisela H. Govaart
Reviewed by: Nihan Albayrak-Aydemir, Mahmoud Elsherif, Ryan Millager, Charlotte R. Pennington, Beatrice Valentini, Flávio Azevedo