A Domains of Power Analysis of the Narratives of Women of Color in STEM

• In Event: Women Experiences in STEM Education

Abstract

Existing approaches examining issues of equity and diversity in STEM tend to narrowly focus on marginalized identity categories, stopping short of interrogating the pervasiveness of oppressive power dynamics in these high-prestige and exclusive disciplines. I problematize such approaches using a Domains of Power analysis in examining the narratives of 12 women of color who began their postsecondary STEM studies at one community college and are continuing to pursue STEM academically and/or professionally. The narratives revealed the operation of power in multiple domains (hegemonic, structural, disciplinary, interpersonal, experiential) and in multiple contexts of these women’s lives. This study highlights the need to broaden our perspective regarding issues of oppression and marginalization in STEM as tied to systems of power.

Author

• Yoon Ha Choi, Florida International University