Why Do They Hate Us SO Much?: Strategies for Advancing Racial Justice STEM Education Research

• In Event: “For Such a Time as This”: Advancing Racial Equity–Focused Research in Varied Sociopolitical Contexts

Abstract

Activists and scholars continue to draw local, national, and international attention to addressing anti-Blackness in postsecondary STEM learning and professional environments (e.g., Authors, 2022, 2023a/b, 2024; Forrest, 2023; McGee, 2020, 2021; NASEM, 2023a/b). In our current sociopolitical landscape, research, policies, and practices fostering racial justice are especially important. As such, we share strategies for advancing research promoting racial equity and justice for Black STEM undergraduates. Specifically, we highlight our team’s “Ten Toes Down” approach and how scholars—especially those racialized as Black—can protect their socioemotional and psychological well-being while engaging in this risky but necessary work.

Texas’ geo-sociopolitical context is wrought with anti-DEI efforts [e.g., State Bill (SB) 17)], xenophobia (e.g., SB 40), anti-trans legislation (e.g., policies requiring teachers to inform parents if their child identifies as transgender). Multiple local and state-level legislative measures banned or limited researchers’ and practitioners’ pursuit of social and racial justice. This includes SB 3, prohibiting teaching Critical Race Theory (CRT) in K-12 schools, and SB 18, which undermines tenure by broadening grounds for termination and accelerating the process of tenure removal. We also contend with hostile campus climates with aggressive law enforcement presence during peaceful protests (e.g., the April 2024 pro-Palestine campus protests) or like-minded colleagues receiving freedom of information act requests and/or resigning (or being fired) and leaving Texas. Despite this, our team decided to “stand on business” to continue our important work.
Our interdisciplinary team of Black scholars includes faculty and (under)graduate research assistants from STEM education, educational policy/leadership, sociology, women’s and gender studies, learning and human sciences, STEM fields, and business. As members of multiple-marginalized communities (e.g., African American heterosexual woman with ADHD), we have distinct yet similar experiences shaping our researcher positionalities. These intersecting identities contribute to our shared positionality to disrupt sociohistorical and sociocultural norms in education research by elevating Black undergraduates’ voices and perspectives in pursuit of racial justice (Boveda & Annamma, 2023).

In this presentation, we draw upon data from our team meetings (e.g., Zoom meeting recordings/transcripts), analytic memos, community engagement event fieldnotes (i.e., visits to targeted institutions of higher education in Texas), and interpersonal communication (e.g., emails/texts). First, we use Author1’s (2021) Protection framework to discuss the physical, psychological, and socioemotional harms our team endures as we conduct this collaborative research project conceptually rooted in Black liberatory ideologies. This includes, for example, social media harassment, dismissal from faculty/staff when seeking connections with Black STEM undergraduates on their campuses and having to check the validity of over 500 fake study eligibility survey responses using stereotypical and racist names after anti-DEI legislation passed in Texas. Then, we share three strategies for advancing this work: 1) intentional, relational teamwork; 2) contextual and archival research (e.g., Wayback Machine; and 3) fostering connections with gatekeepers and informants. We unveil the complexities of anti-Black racism in harmful geo-sociopolitical contexts while offering practical insights for engaging and sustaining critical work promoting racial justice in higher education.

Authors

• Tia C. Madkins, University of Texas at Austin

• Yasmiyn Irizarry, University of Texas at Austin

• Chandel Burgess, University of Texas at Austin

• Tyra Timm, University of Texas at Austin

• Sidney Renee Holland, University of Texas at Austin

• Ricardo H. Lowe, University of Texas at Austin