This study explores the mental health experiences of working-class academics as they navigate the culturally elite and often exclusionary environment of higher education. Drawing on qualitative interviews and thematic analysis, the research reveals how class-based disparities intersect with institutional expectations, professional norms, and social capital to shape psychological well-being. Participants describe feelings of isolation, imposter syndrome, financial strain, and the emotional labor involved in code-switching and navigating classed microaggressions. The study highlights the invisible barriers faced by those from non-traditional backgrounds and underscores the need for more inclusive institutional practices that prioritize mental health and socio-economic diversity in academia.

working-class academics, mental health, higher education, class inequality, academic culture, imposter syndrome, social mobility

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