The Experiences of Black Jamaican Women With
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
“WI HAB CUM AH LANG WAY, AN WI STILL HAB FUR FI GUH”: THE EXPERIENCES OF BLACK JAMAICAN WOMEN WITH PRE- AND POST-MIGRATION POST-SECONDARY EDUCATION IN THE ACADEMY SHELLEANNE MARY-KAYE HARDIAL A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF GRADUATE STUDIES IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY GRADUATE PROGRAM IN Education: Language, Culture and Teaching Faculty of Education York University Toronto, Ontario August 2020 © Shelleanne Mary-Kaye Hardial, 2020 Abstract Many Black female immigrants with pre- and post-migration post-secondary education arrive in Canada with the desire to pursue faculty teaching jobs. However, despite great gains by feminist movements in the 1960s and 80s discrimination against Black women in the academy persists. With the theoretical framework of Critical Race Theory, Critical Race Feminism, and Post-colonial Theory, this dissertation draws attention to the lived realities of Black female academics, specifically Black Jamaican women, with pre- and post-migration education who hope to access the professoriate in Ontario, and have faced obstacles in post-migration higher education. In order to understand the barriers that Black Jamaican women with pre- and post- migration post-secondary education navigate in Ontario post-secondary institutions, it is imperative to examine: What are the lived experiences of Black Jamaican women with pre- migration post-secondary education as they enter into post-migration forums of higher education? What are the complexities of Black Jamaican women experiences in Ontario who desired to teach in Canadian post-secondary institutions during, and after obtaining Canadian higher education credential? How are challenges faced by Black women who take post-migration education (in addition to their pre-migration graduate/post-graduate education) in order to gain Canadian credentials to work in their field of study? This study is a qualitative research that employs a phenomenological methodology. The data reveals that Black Jamaican women experienced racism when they arrived in Canada. Significantly, racism manifested in the discounting of their pre-migration post-secondary education, denied access to graduate programs and teaching jobs at post-secondary institutions which influenced the occupational routes and academic decisions of Black Jamaican women. Despite the barriers that many Black Jamaican women face in academia, my findings show that ii they are resilient, and employ agency and strategies in their resistance to racism in the academy. As such, they remain hopeful as they continue to knock at the closed doors of faculty teaching jobs. It is my hope that this dissertation will contribute to a deeper understanding of Black Jamaican women’s experiences in academia; expose the facade of equitable post-secondary institutions in Ontario (that continues in the twenty-first century), and enhance post-secondary institutions’ policy changes to achieve real inclusiveness. iii Dedication To my children – Malachi, Abigail and Sarah Hardial. “[You] can do all things through Christ which strengthen[s] [you]”. (Philippians 4:13, King James Version) And to my beloved grandmother – Mary Latham (Meam), in loving memory. iv Acknowledgements I give thanks to Jehovah Elohim for seeing me through the completion of this dissertation. Dr. Aparna Mishra Tarc, your unwavering support, words of encouragement, and critical advice have helped me to grow into the scholar I am today. Thank you for your mentorship throughout my academic journey. I would like to thank Dr. Carl James and Dr. Roopa Desai Trilokekar – my committee members, for their guidance and scholarly insight during the process of my dissertation. To Dr. Andrew Allen (my external examiner) and Dr. Shamette Hepburn (my internal examiner), thank you for your invaluable contribution that aided the completion of my dissertation. To all the participants that made this dissertation a reality, I am indebted to you. Thank you for letting me into your lives, and for sharing your stories with me. Your courage is a strong reminder that as Black Jamaican women we cannot give up, especially for the sake of our Black children. Thank you to three special women, Derma Nugent (mother), Rosetta Mcmorris (spiritual mother), and Gloria Hardial (mother-in-law). Thank you mommy for your countless sacrifices for my family and I during my studies. Rosetta and Gloria, thank you for your continued support. I would like to thank my children – Malachi, Abigail, and Sarah Hardial for being patient with me. Dwayne Hardial, my love, thank you for always understanding. I am forever grateful for the words of encouragement, and ceaseless prayers from my extended family, and dear friends. Finally, I would like to thank my church family - Covenant of Promise Ministries Inc., for their prayers, words of wisdom, and for their confidence in me to complete this milestone. Your love, warmth and support motivated me to endure to the end. v TABLE OF CONTENTS Abstract.....................................................................................................................................ii Dedication.................................................................................................................................iv Acknowledgements...................................................................................................................v Table of Contents......................................................................................................................vi List of Tables.............................................................................................................................ix Chapter One: Introduction.........................................................................................................1 Research Problem..........................................................................................................4 Research Questions........................................................................................................6 Purpose of the Study......................................................................................................7 Overview of the Research..............................................................................................7 Significance of the Study...............................................................................................9 Chapter Two: Literature Review...............................................................................................11 Introduction...................................................................................................................11 Post-slavery Impact on Jamaica’s Education and Society............................................14 Experience within Immigration and Employment in the Canadian Society.................17 Multiculturalism on Trial..................................................................................17 Immigration Policy in Relation to Black Women.............................................20 Employment in Canadian Academia.................................................................23 Experience as Students and Academics within Canadian Higher Education................26 Globalization and Canadian Higher Education.................................................26 Black Students in Canadian Post-secondary Education (PSE)..........................28 Who are Allowed Access in Canadian Academia?...........................................33 Impact of Gender, Race and Class as Barriers for Black Female Academics....36 Conclusion......................................................................................................................42 Chapter Three: Theoretical Framework......................................................................................44 Introduction.....................................................................................................................44 Critical Race Theory.......................................................................................................45 Critical Race Feminism...................................................................................................50 Post-colonial Theory.......................................................................................................52 Conclusion.......................................................................................................................54 Chapter Four: Methodology.........................................................................................................56 Research Design...............................................................................................................56 Participants.......................................................................................................................59 Instrumentation.................................................................................................................61 Procedure..........................................................................................................................63 vi Data Analysis....................................................................................................................65 Limitation of Qualitative Research...................................................................................71 Ethical Considerations......................................................................................................72