1 Sustaining Black Captivity: a Critical Analysis of Corporate Philanthropic
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Sustaining Black Captivity: A Critical Analysis of Corporate Philanthropic Discourse on Education Dissertation Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy in the Graduate School of The Ohio State University By Allison Ragland Graduate Program in Teaching and Learning The Ohio State University 2019 Dissertation Committee Elaine Richardson, Advisor Franco Barchiesi Cynthia Tyson 1 Copyrighted by Allison Ragland 2019 2 Abstract Industrial and corporate philanthropy have historically played a role in shaping and supervising the education of African American students. This role includes promoting certain types of education for Black students and upholding certain ideologies within the Black community, most of which are rooted in Black subservience and result in the circumvention of radical demands for Black liberation. This study examines the supervision of Black education as a form of surveillance through a critical analysis of corporate philanthropic discourse. In this dissertation, I use critical discourse analysis to explore the ways that the discourses of neoliberal education reformers from the corporate sector uphold the ideological surveillance of Black students and the role of those discourses in sustaining Black captivity. I identify three salient narratives in the discursive samples I analyzed, including A) the problem is simple; B) the solution is scientific; and C) education is a business. These narratives sustain Black captivity by acquiescing to inequitable structures and by bolstering forms of education that limit critical thinking in poor urban schools. In this study, I discuss the ideological and material implications of these narratives. I present recommendations for laying the groundwork for educational justice and Black liberation. Keywords: Neoliberalism, critical discourse analysis, educational surveillance, corporate philanthropy, Black captivity, urban education ii Dedication This dissertation is dedicated to everyone in the struggle for educational justice and Black liberation. iii Acknowledgments First and foremost, I thank God for giving me the strength to complete my Ph.D. I also want to express infinite gratitude to my advisor Dr. E. for being extremely supportive throughout my doctoral studies; my committee members Dr. Barchiesi, Dr. Stout, and Dr. Tyson for their encouragement; my husband Alexander for pushing me and inspiring me throughout this process; Binta for helping me so much and for being such a great friend; Sage for keeping me focused; my family and friends Gayle, David, Lenell, James, Ashley, Dominic, Cheryl, Valarie, Kat, and Erin for always believing in me; my ancestors for their struggle and determination; and my mentor Shemariah for introducing me to many of the opportunities that led me to where I am today. iv Vita 2014.................................................M.Ed. Cultural Studies in Education, Ohio University 2013................................................................ B.S.S. Writing & Rhetoric, Ohio University Publications Richardson, E.B. and Ragland, A. (2018). #StayWoke: The Language and Literacies of the #BlackLivesMatter Movement. Community Literacy Journal, 12 (2), 27-56 Fields of Study Major Field: Teaching and Learning v Table of Contents Abstract ............................................................................................................................... ii Dedication .......................................................................................................................... iii Acknowledgments .............................................................................................................. iv List of Tables ..................................................................................................................... ix Chapter 1. Introduction: Education and Black Captivity .................................................... 1 Chapter Overview ........................................................................................................... 1 Statement of Problem and Purpose ................................................................................. 1 Repression of Black Education During Slavery ............................................................. 5 Industrial Education ...................................................................................................... 10 Corporate Philanthropy ................................................................................................. 16 Significance of the Problem .......................................................................................... 19 Summary ....................................................................................................................... 26 Chapter 2. Literature Review: Education and Surveillance .............................................. 27 Chapter Overview ......................................................................................................... 27 Industrial Philanthropy and Black Education ............................................................... 27 Industrial Training .................................................................................................... 28 Hampton and Tuskegee Model ................................................................................. 29 Corporate Philanthropy and Urban Education .............................................................. 31 Venture Philanthropy ................................................................................................ 32 Gates Foundation and Education Policy ................................................................... 32 KIPP and “No excuses” education ............................................................................ 34 Gates Foundation’s Neoliberal Education Discourse ............................................... 36 Surveillance and Neoliberal Education Reform ........................................................... 38 Curriculum and Ideology .............................................................................................. 38 vi Post-Civil Rights Movement Curricular Surveillance .................................................. 42 Accountability as Surveillance ................................................................................. 44 Curricular Narrowing and Standardization ............................................................... 48 “Evidence-based” Programs ..................................................................................... 49 Surveillance through Audit Culture .......................................................................... 52 Summary ....................................................................................................................... 53 Chapter 3. Theoretical Framework and Methodology: The Afterlife of Slavery and Critical Discourse Analysis ............................................................................................... 56 Chapter Overview ......................................................................................................... 56 Statement of Research and Purpose .............................................................................. 56 Theoretical Framework: The Afterlife of Slavery ........................................................ 57 Black Captivity and Violence ................................................................................... 59 Under the White Gaze: Surveillance in the Afterlife of Slavery .............................. 62 Methodological Framework: Critical Discourse Studies .............................................. 66 Methods of Data Generation ......................................................................................... 68 Methods of Data Analysis: Critical Discourse Analysis ............................................... 69 Subjectivity Statement .................................................................................................. 72 Trustworthiness and Methodological Considerations ................................................... 75 Summary ....................................................................................................................... 76 Chapter 4. Findings and Implications: The Role of Corporate Philanthrophic Discourse in Sustaining Black Captivity ............................................................................................... 77 Chapter Overview ......................................................................................................... 77 Implications: How does this narrative sustain Black captivity? ............................... 99 Narrative #2: The solution is scientific (not structural). ............................................. 102 Implications: How does this narrative sustain Black captivity? ............................. 118 Narrative #3: Education is a Business. ....................................................................... 121 Implications: How does this narrative sustain Black captivity? ............................. 134 Summary ..................................................................................................................... 139 Chapter 5: Moving Toward an Education for Freedom .................................................. 141 Chapter Overview ....................................................................................................... 143 Limitations of the Study .............................................................................................