“Double Dutch”: Operationalizing Double Consciousness Among Teachers in the Deep South

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Thursday 4:15 pm
  In Roundtable Session: Racializing Social Contexts

Abstract

This study explores how Black teachers in Brunswick, Georgia navigate racial identity and professional practice through a framework of “Double Dutch,” a metaphorical extension of Du Bois’ double consciousness. Conducted in the wake of Ahmaud Arbery’s death, the research uses a single case study design and grounded theory methodology to examine how teachers make sense of themselves in schools shaped by historic and ongoing racial inequities. While Black teachers’ voices remain central, triangulation includes reflections from White teachers and artifacts such as professional development materials, internal emails, and lesson content. This study contributes to literature on race, teaching, and belonging, emphasizing the importance of place and advancing methodological approaches for studying educators in racially stratified contexts.

Author

• Derric Ivan Heck, Stanford University