Navigating Expectations of Silence: Being Bold, Speaking Out, and Challenging Assumptions

• In Event: Critical Reflections from Equity-Minded Asian/American Education Leaders on What's Next in the Post-2024 World

Abstract

This presentation shares my experience as an Asian/American woman of color navigating the deanship by challenging deeply ingrained cultural assumptions and stereotypes. I draw on Pang’s (1996) notion of intentional silence as a critical framework for understanding how certain voices are systematically marginalized or silenced. I explore and define intentional silence within my lived experiences in the context of academia shaped by institutional policies, cultural norms, and power dynamics which have contributed to the phenomenon. I share reflections in various encounters from higher-education leaders (white male) whose expectations of me were to “remain silent” unless called on—an equation of silence and passivity which have long plagued the narratives of Asian/American women due to their gender, class, and culture (Cheung, 1993). My story shows how I have deconstructed and challenged views of speech and silence as hierarchical, gendered, and polarized while interrogating authority in respectful ways. I propose a collaborative model that fosters inclusivity and where people can lead with authenticity through their core values for a more equitable supportive environment for members of the academic community (and beyond). This model includes utilizing Confucian principles and Western democratic leadership to create a rich approach to leadership that draws on the strengths of both traditions. The presentation ends with examples of these intersections and how they are applied in higher education contexts.

Author

• Yune Kim Tran, Providence College