Understanding the Lived Experiences of the members of the Society for the Advancement of Biology Education Research through Collins’ Matrix of Domination Framework

Professional science societies stand at the intersection of science, education, and research, providing crucial professional development and career opportunities for scientists. Their structures and policies can either promote more equitable ideologies, practices and outcomes or deepen existing disparities within science. In recent years, many societies have implemented diversity statements and initiatives, but few studies have examined their actual impact on membership composition and the experiences of their minoritized members. Critical education scholars emphasize the importance of examining these experiences through frameworks that center their voices, acknowledge institutional racism, and address the power imbalances that exclude marginalized groups. This study uses the matrix of domination framework (Collins, 1990) and its four domains of power (structural, disciplinary, interpersonal, and cultural/hegemonic) to investigate the perceptions and experiences of inclusion/exclusion of the members of the Society for the Advancement of Biology Education Research (SABER). We identified factors that contribute to and detract from the society’s equity goals by analyzing members’ experiences at different systemic levels. By framing members’ experiences through the lens of dimensions of power, we reveal relationships and structures that may have otherwise remained invisible, offering new insights into strategies that can better aid professional societies toward their equity goals.