Access, recognition, and belonging: a systematic review of inclusion in STEM research networks

Abstract

Persistent gendered inequities continue to shape participation and advancement within STEM research networks, disproportionately affecting early-career scholars. Guided by Bourdieu’s theory of social, cultural, and symbolic capital, and an intersectional perspective, this systematic review synthesises findings from 20 empirical studies published between 2015 and 2025 to examine how structural hierarchies, capital distribution, and intersecting social identities influence inclusion in STEM research networks. Results indicate that unequal access to social and symbolic capital, manifested through exclusionary collaborations, hierarchical dependencies, and informal prestige systems, limits women’s and other marginalised groups’ participation and recognition. These inequalities are compounded by emotional costs associated with belonging and legitimacy. Although mentoring programmes, institutional support initiatives, and policy reforms can enhance access and visibility, their effects are constrained when the organisational and cultural co itions governing recognition and influence remain unchanged. The review advances an understanding of inclusion as a stratified process in which network participation does not necessarily translate into recognition, legitimacy, or academic influence, highlighting the importance of examining how intersecting social positions shape these processes and how inclusion is enacted within different academic cultures.