(Un)just transitions for youth and the disabled? The exclusionary pressures facing science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education

This paper highlights the under-representation of young people with disabilities in STEM subjects and career pathways, with particular reference to the engineering sector given its prominent role in the design of energy systems related to net-zero policies. We consider the role of physical infrastructure, and pedagogic and representational practices, in facilitating the marginalisation and under-representation of young people with disabilities. Ultimately, we seek a broader understanding of the ‘just transition’ that acknowledges the role of education in ensuring the active participation of all young people, regardless of learning difficulty or disability or social identity, in that transition. The research is intended to contribute to a progressive imagined future or imaginary that envisages a ‘just’ transition which is not simply aimed at mitigating impacts on already marginalised demographics. This includes problematizing the current discourse of ‘inclusive’ education on account of documented exclusionary practices in education that are likely to undermine the realization of an equitable and ‘just’ transition. Representational practices are considered in recognition that such practices are multi-faceted and frequently, following Foucault, ‘invisibilised’ or hidden. That is, they remain unacknowledged in the strategic management of public and individual expectations. This recognition resonates with the often-hidden influence of policies from non-energy sectors, like the education sector, on achieving a just transition to Net Zero. The paper forms part of a collaborative research project which aims to highlight how uneven participation in STEM education and careers can impact a just transition to a low-carbon economy in the UK.