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Constructing, Deconstructing, and Reconstructing Whiteness: A Critical Participatory Action Research Study of How Participating in a Critical Whiteness Studies Course Informs the Professional Socialization of White Student Affairs Graduate Students

Ashlee, Kyle C
http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2390-3264
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=miami1556291981442521

Abstract Details

2019, Doctor of Philosophy, Miami University, Educational Leadership.
Beyond the examination of individual White privilege, which often results in fragility, silence, and fatigue, White student affairs graduate students have little understanding of White supremacy as a system of racial oppression and the root cause of racism in higher education. This lack of racial awareness and preparation can lead to harm done to peers and faculty of Color in student affairs graduate preparation programs and an inability to advocate for students of Color or challenge institutional racism as working professionals. In other words, the current approach to engaging White student affairs graduate students may actually serve to reinforce White supremacy in higher education, creating barriers to achieving the goals of student affairs as a field. In order to address this problem, I co-engineered a Critical Whiteness Studies (CWS) course for the student affairs in higher education graduate preparation program at a public teaching university located in the rural Midwest. This qualitative Critical Participatory Action Research (CPAR) study was guided by the following question: How does participating in a CWS course inform the professional socialization of White student affairs graduate students? Ten White student affairs graduate students, who were enrolled in a CWS course, gathered for research group reflection sessions and responded to written narrative prompts, which all served as data for the study. This data was analyzed both collaboratively in the research group reflection sessions and individually, using a Grounded Theory data analysis method. Key findings of this study indicate that participating in a CWS course provides White student affairs graduate students with an opportunity to reflect on how hegemonic Whiteness is constructed in their lives, a space to actively deconstruct hegemonic Whiteness, and a blueprint for how to critically reconstruct Whiteness both personally and professionally. The findings of this study present implications for future CWS research in student affairs and White racial identity development, student affairs graduate preparation, and student affairs professional practice.
Kathy Goodman (Committee Chair)
Kathleen Knight-Abowitz (Committee Member)
Brittany Aronson (Committee Member)
Denise McKoskey (Committee Member)
203 p.
Educational Leadership; Higher Education
Critical Participatory Action Research; Critical Pragmatism; Critical Whiteness Studies; Graduate Students; Race; Student Affairs; Student Affairs Graduate Preparation; Whiteness

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Ashlee, K. C. (2019). Constructing, Deconstructing, and Reconstructing Whiteness: A Critical Participatory Action Research Study of How Participating in a Critical Whiteness Studies Course Informs the Professional Socialization of White Student Affairs Graduate Students [Doctoral dissertation, Miami University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=miami1556291981442521

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Ashlee, Kyle. Constructing, Deconstructing, and Reconstructing Whiteness: A Critical Participatory Action Research Study of How Participating in a Critical Whiteness Studies Course Informs the Professional Socialization of White Student Affairs Graduate Students. 2019. Miami University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=miami1556291981442521.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Ashlee, Kyle. "Constructing, Deconstructing, and Reconstructing Whiteness: A Critical Participatory Action Research Study of How Participating in a Critical Whiteness Studies Course Informs the Professional Socialization of White Student Affairs Graduate Students." Doctoral dissertation, Miami University, 2019. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=miami1556291981442521

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

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This open access ETD is published by Miami University and OhioLINK.