Date of Award
6-2024
Document Type
Dissertation
Publisher
Santa Clara : Santa Clara University, 2024
Degree Name
Doctor of Education (EdD)
First Advisor
Ezinne Ofoegbu
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to understand how whiteness impacts the lived experiences of racially underrepresented students at a predominantly white campus. Through preliminary research, Critical Whiteness Studies (CWS) was found as a means for white practitioners to understand race and racism within systems of higher education. In this study, a history of racism and whiteness is reviewed in order to better understand how they contribute to the history of higher education. Critics of CWS mention that the area of study continues to oppress the experiences of racially underrepresented students as it does not highlight the impact whiteness can have on the students' experiences. This study analyzed how whiteness appears in the experiences of seven racially underrepresented students at a predominantly white campus. The design of this study is qualitative founded on CWS and Critical Race Theory (CRT). A narrative inquiry methodological approach was used. Although the sample size is small, the findings of this study highlight the appearance of whiteness in various parts of the student experience, as well as the impact embedded whiteness within the structures and practices of a predominantly white institution can have on the experiences of racially underrepresented students.
Recommended Citation
Kibbish, Samantha Marie, "Understanding the Impact of Whiteness on the Lived Experiences of Racially Underrepresented Students at a Predominantly White College Campus" (2024). Social Justice in Educational Leadership EdD Dissertations. 1.
https://scholarcommons.scu.edu/ed_dissertations/1