Sankofa: African American Perspectives on Race and Culture in US Doctoral Education

Description

Explores the complex interplay of race and culture in the doctoral experiences of African American students. Sankofa reexamines doctoral education through the lens of African American and Black experiences. Drawing on the African diasporic legacy of Sankofa and the notion that “it is not wrong to go back for that which you have forgotten,” the contributors “go back” to address legacies of exclusion in higher education and take care to center and honor the contributions of historically marginalized doctoral students. Whereas earlier studies focused largely on socialization, departmental norms, and statistical portraits of doctoral degree attachment, this book illuminates the ways African American students encounter, navigate, and make sense of their doctoral experiences and especially the impact of race and culture on those experiences. Individual chapters look at STEM programs, the intersections of race and gender, the role of HBCUs, and students’ relationships with faculty and advisors. Amid growing diversity across programs and institutions, Sankofa provides a critical model for applying culturally based frameworks in educational research, as well as practical strategies for better understanding and responding to the needs of students of color in predominantly White contexts. Contents List of Tables Acknowledgments Editors’ Introduction Trends in Black/African American Doctoral Degree Completion Sankofa and the Black/African American Doctoral Experience: Situating the Research Critical Focus Areas Regarding the Doctoral Student Experience Overview of Chapters Conclusion Notes Works Cited Chapter 1 Understanding Race, Culture, and the Doctorate Foreground of Important Statistics Racial and Cultural Concepts Supporting Marginalized Doctoral Students Critical Race Theory and Interest Convergence Cultural Wealth Race, Culture, and Doctoral Student Socialization Strategies to Support Black/African American Doctoral Students Prior Socialization Advisement Disciplinary Interests Discussion Conclusion Works Cited Chapter 2 Programmatic Efforts and the Black Doctoral Experience in Education: A Literature Review Understanding the Relationship between Socialization, Marginalization, and African American Doctoral Persistence Socialization Marginalization Where Programmatic Efforts Make a Difference Teacher Education STEM Education Higher Education Why Programmatic Efforts Are Important When Marginalization Complicates Socialization: Implications for Future Research and Practice Discussion Conclusion Works Cited Chapter 3 Resistance Narratives: Counterstories of Two Black Women Doctoral Students Challenges for Black Women Students Foundations and Framework of Critical Race Methodology Method Two Women, Multiple Identities Data Collection Data Analysis Limitations Findings Counterstories of Race Counterstories of Gender Discussion Implications Conclusion Works Cited Chapter 4 Demystifying the Monolithic Black Male Mystique: Advancing a Research Agenda on Black Men in Engineering Graduate Programs Background Study Methods and Context Future Research Agenda on Black Men in Engineering Graduate Programs Applying Different Theoretical Frameworks Foregrounding Students’ Demographics Black Men’s Health and Wellness Concluding Thoughts and Implications for Professional Practice Works Cited Chapter 5 Being One of Few: Examining Black Biomedical PhDs’ Training Experiences and Career Development through a Campus Racial Climate Lens Background Methods Sample and Data Sources Data Collection and Procedures Analysis Findings Behavioral and Psychological Climate: Experiences with Subtle and Overt Racism in the Lab Compositional Diversity Shapes Behavioral and Psychological Climate: Underrepresentation in Their Programs and the Field Organizational Dimension: Assessing Commitment to the Norms and Values of Science Discussion Conclusion Acknowledgments References Chapter 6 From Firm Foundations to Where?: Understanding the Role of HBCUs in African American PhD Student Commitment Literature Review HBCUs and Student Transition toward the Doctoral Process Motivating Factors to Enroll in Doctoral Study for African American Students Conceptual Framework Data Sources or Evidence Methods Findings Commitment to Excellence Commitment to Better Oneself and One’s Community Commitment to Professional Networks Discussion Limitations Conclusion Works Cited Chapter 7 Rethinking Engagement: Examining the Role of Faculty–Student Interactions and Black Doctoral Student Success at HBCUs Examining Black Doctoral Student Experiences Theoretical Framework Method Instrument Independent Variable Dependent Variables Analytical Procedures Results Discussion Conclusions and Recommendations Directions for Future Research Directions for Practice Works Cited Chapter 8 Double Consciousness: Exploring Black and Doctoral Student Identity within Cross-Race Advising Relationships Introduction Literature Review Development of Doctoral Identity Racial Experiences and Racial Identity of Black Doctoral Students Conceptual Framework: Double Consciousness Methodology Data Collection Data Analysis Trustworthiness and Limitations Findings Identifying Individuals Who Share the Experience Otherness and Sense of Belonging At the Intersection of Doctoral and Racial Identity Conclusion Works Cited Conclusion Themes Importance of HBCUs The Role of Faculty Intersection of Race and Gender Contributions to Scholarship Recommendations Addressing Academic Pathways Providing Professional Development on Faculty Advising Offering Intentional Career Counseling Developing and Strengthening Policies and Practices That Encourage Diversity and Promote Mental Health and Wellness Expanding Research Conclusion References Contributors Index