“Mess With Women—You Get a Smackdown”: Toward a Chicana Feminist Construct of Citizenship

• In Event: Supporting Preservice Teachers of Color

Abstract

In this interpretive case study the researcher examined how the identity of a biracial pre-service social studies teacher impacted how she conceptualized the construct of citizenship and how she incorporated this construct into her classroom. Utilizing Anzaldua’s (1988) Mestiza consciousness and Chicana feminist framework the teacher highlighted issues of social justice and inclusion of marginalized voices, story telling, as well as emphasis on community membership and civic action within that community. This teacher’s understanding of citizenship demonstrates the importance of having diverse constructions of citizenship and a new approach to citizenship education and the preparation of multi-racial pre-service teachers.

Author

• Amanda Elizabeth Vickery, The University of Texas - Austin