Reducing Hypersurveillance of African American Males in the Community

• In Event: Public Scholarship to Foster Positive Intercultural Relations

Abstract

A natural line of inquiry when considering how to foster and preserve cultural tolerance in our communities may focus on not only examining the individuals involved in cross-cultural interactions, but also the prevailing norms, community or organizational structures, and legal practices that may serve to promote tolerance or, at very least, to deter discriminatory and culturally disrespectful transgressions. When contexts and existing norms are perceived as culturally competitive or adversarial, how do the individuals involved navigate these spaces? In what ways do the communities present opportunities for individual resilience and organizational/community success? This presentation on opportunities to reduce hyper-surveillance and their effects on African Americans and other males across the nation’s institutions of higher education views the campus as a microcosm of society. Educators need to examine all facets of the campus-academic space to enact supportive campus norms and safeguards for positive intercultural relations.

The researcher’s main objective for this presentation is to discuss several themes of campus culture and social change drawn from narrative data of approximately 30 African American male students enrolled at public and private institutions of higher education. The researcher’s ethnographic approach and qualitative findings will be shared alongside national and emerging trends associated with the research methods. The analyses presented draw upon conceptual perspectives that connect microaggressions - the cumulative, daily racialized experiences and interactions – to complex individual outcomes and negative campus norms (Pierce, 1974; Smith, Yosso & Solórzano, 2006). Smith, Allen & Danley (2007) identified a theme of hyper-surveillance as microaggression, where African American males reported harassment and were characterized as community threats by campus agents – police officers – who were entrusted to promote security and connection on campus.

Substantiated conclusions focus on interpretations of the primary and secondary themes from the narratives that identified stressors related to daily racial transgressions experienced from peers and from campus agents (e.g., campus police), and opportunities for collaborative interventions for education and training evaluation. The researcher will present narrative examples and discuss findings alongside broader national study on accountability and community policing. This session is significant in illustrating refined research approaches and public-campus partnership activities that promote culture changes across organizations.

Several approaches to promote increased scholarship and to self-examine hidden biases and assumptions as part of law enforcement training will be discussed. Additionally, case examples will be used to illustrate where community-college partnerships have examined approaches to change the system of community policing and to enhance individual and institutional accountability.

Authors

• William A. Smith, University of Utah

• Jalil Bishop, University of California - Los Angeles

• Chantal Jones, University of California - Los Angeles

• Tommy Curry, Texas A&M University

• Walter R. Allen, University of California - Los Angeles