1504 - Teaching While Inferior: Navigating the Instructor Role as Racial, Sexual, and/or Gender Minority Graduate Students

Session Submission Type: Workshop

Description

Within the power structure of academia, graduate student instructors exist in a unique and conflicting space. They are subordinates to faculty, equals to other graduate students, and authority figures to their own students. Attempting to balance these roles as a person who identifies as a racial, sexual, and/or gender minority adds further difficulty to fulfilling the position of graduate student instructor. This workshop will discuss challenges and present alternative strategies to the struggles we may face as underrepresented graduate student instructors. Discussions and workshop activities will cover (1) how we might deal with students who refuse to think critically or accept what the research says, especially when their arguments are directed at our identities, (2) how we might assert our position and role in the department when discrimination and/or gaslighting comes from peers and faculty, (3) how we might overcome having to “walk on eggshells” as instructors and members of a department, and alternatives to overcoming the added stressors of increased emotional labor, and (5) how we might encourage students to use their lived experiences in class discussions and research projects. Using the above topics, the workshop will discuss and practice strategies to navigate the instructor role as racial, sexual, and/or gender minorities.

Sub Unit

• Student Forum Session

Session Organizers

• Rebekah Smith, American Sociological Association

• Jean H. Shin, American Sociological Association

Co-Leaders

• Alana R. Inlow, Washington State University

• Marisa Viviana Cervantes, Washington State University