“That Stuff Lives in Your Heart”: The Racialization of Three Computer Science Departments

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Thursday 3:35 pm Four Seasons Ballroom 4
  In Roundtable Session: Phenomenology in Organizational Studies in Higher Education (Table 5)

Abstract

For two decades National Science Foundation and other Federal funding has gone toward diversifying the gender and racial representation of computer science (CS) students and faculty with little progress. This qualitative phenomenological study explores institutional agents’ sense-making and underlying beliefs about Diversity, Equity, Accessibility, and Inclusion (DEAI) efforts in three U.S. computing departments, drawing upon Ray’s (2019) theory of racialized organizations. We found racial injustice is reproduced through racist beliefs being aired, racist preferences being enacted, and race-based allegiances occurring. This study expands the theory of racialized organizations with a focus on how racial cultural schemas are enacted and offers evidence suggesting why existing DEAI efforts are not enough to transform and repair racial inequities in higher education.

Authors

• Wendy DuBow, University of Colorado - Boulder

• Heather L. Thiry, University of Colorado - Boulder