Props, personas, and PhDs: A duoethnographic drama of navigating whiteness in academia

• In Event: AERA Poster Session Thursday 7:45am
  In Poster Session: Building Just and Equitable Education Systems

Abstract

This duoethnography examines how whiteness shapes the lived experiences of two women of color pursuing doctoral degrees at a predominantly white institution (PWI). Through critical dialogue and personal reflection, we draw on Critical Race Theory (CRT) and Goffman’s Dramaturgy to understand how systemic structures impact identity performance, academic navigation, and interpersonal dynamics with other classmates and teachers. As researchers and participants, we draw from our shared narratives to expose how “walls of whiteness” have influenced our paths and shaped our self-perception. Our work builds off of the voices of women of color (WOC) in academia and offers insight into the invisible burdens carried in pursuit of scholarly excellence while validating futures that seek to transform these oppressive spaces.

Authors

• Cristie Suzukawa Clancy, Chapman University

• Cristal B. Flores, Chapman University