Hidden in Plain Sight: What White Students Learn About Whiteness in U.S. History Class

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Friday 8:00 am Four Seasons Ballroom 2-3
  In Roundtable Session: Narratives, Censorship, and Mandates: Examining the Impact of Language, Curriculum, and Policy on U.S. Social Studies Education (Table 10)

Abstract

This study explores what white students learn about the dominant narratives of whiteness in their U.S. history course. Understanding how high school U.S. history courses inform white students’ understandings of whiteness adds valuable insights into how social studies curricula can be used to combat white supremacy. I use Critical Whiteness Studies to analyze qualitative data from white, high school students in the form of participant-generated documents and semi-structured interviews. Findings indicate that while participants recognize the role of white individuals in oppressing People of Color throughout history, they lack an understanding of whiteness as a systemic force. This research has implications for social studies curricula and pedagogical development.

Author

• Samantha Weiman, University of Washington