Theorizing Blackness by Centering Multidimensional-Multiplicative Perspectives of Black Knowledge in STEM

• In Event: Elevating Black epiSTEMologies: Theories, Methodologies, and Praxis for Dismantling Racial Injustice in Postsecondary STEM Education

Abstract

Purpose. Black scholars in STEM education have been and continue to pursue novel approaches to addressing multiple forms of anti-Blackness in postsecondary STEM learning environments (Madkins et al., 2022; McGee, 2020; Morton, 2023). Our team of all Black scholars of STEM education desired to advance the field’s conceptualizations of Blackness by attending to the complexities of what it means to be #BlackinSTEM. To do so, we must investigate how Black undergraduates understand their Blackness and make sense of their #BlackinSTEM experiences given other intersecting racialized identities. We must also explore how the myriad of Black experiences and understanding associated with particular standpoints can inform the development of policies and practices that promote racial equity and justice for all Black learners. In this presentation, we highlight how our team worked to theorize Blackness in STEM from a multidimensional-multiplicative perspective as part of our endeavor to imagine truly inclusive STEM educational spaces that are free of racial injustice.
Perspective. Two important ideas were central to theorizing Blackness in STEM from a multidimensional perspective: 1) race as an internally constructed social identity and an externally ascribed social hierarchy undergirding racial oppression and 2) the variation in Black people’s intersectional identities and racialized experiences. To this end, we consider students’ ethnic and pan-ethnic identity (e.g., African American, Caribbean, Honduran, Ghanaian, Melanesian, Afro-Arab), immigration and/or generational statuses (e.g., 3rd vs. 1.5 generation in the US, international student), place-based identity and/or geographic location (e.g., Midwest vs. Northeast, urban vs. rural, racial composition of location, immigrant origin) and other social identity markers (e.g., gender identity, class, sexuality). Additionally, we discussed how race, Blackness, and STEM intersect to influence 1) campus climate (i.e., a historically Black college or university, minority-serving institution, or a historically/majority white institution); 2) Black STEM identity; and 3) how STEM and STEM learning environments are seen as prestigious spaces and/or foster opportunity hoarding. Our work is guided by theoretical frameworks of Blackness in the social sciences, ethnic studies, and education, including the African Diaspora (Hamilton, 2007), anti-Blackness and the afterlife of slavery (McKittrick, 2014), epistemic violence (Dotson, 2011), and white supremacy (Mills, 2014). We also draw upon several theories of Black STEM identity development (Morton et al., 2019) and Black identity development and performance (Hall, 1993; McPherson & Shelby, 2004).
Significance. In this presentation, we will discuss and unpack our team’s approach to theorizing Blackness in STEM from a multidimensional-multiplicative perspective to develop nuanced understandings of Blackness and what it means to be #BlackinSTEM. Drawing upon multiple data sources, including 1) a syllabus with weekly assigned readings curated by team members with expertise in theoretical frameworks of Blackness and qualitative methodologies;
2) discussion prompts; 3) team members’ reflections; and 4) team meeting data (e.g., meeting notes, Zoom meeting transcripts/recordings). We will provide examples of our developing understandings of racism, race, identity, and other constructs based on key moments in the data. This work highlights the importance of engaging in interdisciplinary theory-building that centers Black knowledge and knowledge production and offers insights into how scholars might engage in theorizing Blackness as we seek to broaden our understandings of what it means to be Black in the U.S. and across the Diaspora. Importantly, this research has led to elaborating a more comprehensive definition that attends to the complexity of what it means to be #BlackinSTEM.
Theme Alignment. This presentation aligns with the 2024 annual meeting theme by focusing on historical and contemporary understandings of race and racism to develop new and innovative narratives about what it means to be #BlackinSTEM. It also outlines the processes our team engaged in to theorize Blackness in STEM and directly examine race and racism in STEM education to potentially inform future educational research, policy, and practice.

Authors

• Tia C. Madkins, University of Texas at Austin

• Yasmiyn Irizarry, University of Texas at Austin

• Jennifer Dawn Adams, University of Calgary

• Ricardo H. Lowe, University of Texas at Austin