Comparing Latinidades in Higher Education Institutions in the US

• In Event: 41061 - Section on Latina/o Sociology Roundtables
  In Refereed Roundtable (60 minute): Table 1: Latinx in Higher Education: Experiences, Barriers, and Strategies for Success

Abstract

In the last few decades, higher education worldwide has become more diverse. However, Latinidades are intrinsically diverse, with a plethora of identities reflected under this umbrella term, including race, ethnicity, generation, gender, and origin. Education research often simplifies and disregards the diversity of experiences of Latinidades. Thus, a more comprehensive study of Latinidades within the education research canon is necessary to truly capture the experiences of this population.

In this paper, we specifically focus on the experiences of Latin Americans/Latinos (including Afrodescendants) in HEI in the United States, where their racial, ethnic, and national identities play a role in their inclusion/exclusion at their institutions.

Currently, in the US, many diversity programs are being dismantled, which subsequently erodes spaces of belonging for underrepresented students. This trend began in Southern states, such as Florida and Texas, and has moved to the national level. Looking at in-depth ethnographic fieldwork carried out in HEIs within this geographical context, we assess the role the university space plays in shaping their identities.

Authors

• Glenda Maria Vaillant Cruz, University of South Florida

• Beatriz Padilla, University of South Florida