Mentoring Across Mirrors: When Cultural Similarity Masks Hierarchical Inequities

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Saturday 1:45 pm
  In Roundtable Session: Mentoring for Teacher Preparation and Practitioner Development

Abstract

This qualitative study examines the impact of pervasive collectivist cultural similarity between graduate students and mentors on mentoring dynamics in U.S. higher education. Drawing on Social Identity Theory and Hofstede’s Power Distance Index, the study examines how cultural similarity can engender trust while redoubling hierarchical power, emotional labor, and recognition inequality. Through six interviews with collectivist graduate students, the study identifies patterns in unrequited recognition of labor, coercive deference, and psychosocial distress. The study finds that cultural similarity does not guarantee balanced mentoring but guarantees unrecognized burdens and offers insights and recommendations on the production of transparent, ethical, and culturally competent practices in academic mentoring.

Authors

• Murat Yilmaz, Hitit University

• Munube Yilmaz, Texas State University