Critical Race Theory and the Impact of Oppression Narratives on the Identity, Resilience, and Wellness of Students of Color
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CRITICAL RACE THEORY AND THE IMPACT OF OPPRESSION NARRATIVES ON THE IDENTITY, RESILIENCE, AND WELLNESS OF STUDENTS OF COLOR by GerDonna J. Ellis A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Communication Boise State University May 2020 © 2020 GerDonna J. Ellis ALL RIGHTS RESERVED BOISE STATE UNIVERSITY GRADUATE COLLEGE DEFENSE COMMITTEE AND FINAL READING APPROVALS of the thesis submitted by GerDonna J. Ellis Thesis Title: Critical Race Theory and the Impact of Oppression Narratives on the Identity, Resilience, and Wellness of Students of Color Date of Final Oral Examination: 19 March 2020 The following individuals read and discussed the thesis submitted by GerDonna J. Ellis, and they evaluated their presentation and response to questions during the final oral examination. They found that the student passed the final oral examination. Kelly Rossetto, Ph.D. Chair, Supervisory Committee John McClellan, Ph.D. Member, Supervisory Committee Christina Ivey, Ph.D. Member, Supervisory Committee The final reading approval of the thesis was granted by Kelly Rossetto, Ph.D., Chair of the Supervisory Committee. The thesis was approved by the Graduate College. DEDICATION This work is dedicated to my mother and father who never let-up in instilling in me a love for reading and history. You both stoked the fire in my heart to pursue truth at all costs. Thank you for the constant encouragement when I feared failure and felt like giving up. iv ACKNOWLEGMENTS Romans 8:37—Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. There are so many people who come to mind that I want to thank for helping me through this process. First, I want to thank my amazing advisor, Dr. Kelly Rossetto, who let me vent, challenged my ideas, helped me organize my thoughts, and reassured me that this was good work. Thank you for being the best advisor. I could not have done this without you! I also want to thank my committee members John and Christina for challenging my worldview and broadening my perspectives. I didn’t know how much I cared about the stories we tell and identity until I took classes with both of you. Thank you! I would be remiss if I didn’t thank my cohort throughout this process. It has been so special to go through the program and share thesis memes with you all! Specifically, Blake, thank you for letting me talk through my ideas and always cheering me on. Ray and Angel thank you for your constant prayers, check-ins, and advice as I bounced my ideas off of you and picked your brain. And Brynn, thank you, my sister. Our coffee dates where we interrogated some of these ideas together and you prayed with and encouraged me to keep going meant the world to me. All those who are a part of my Nampa Christian family who prayed for me and with me during this journey. Thank you. Finally, thank you to all of the wonderful people who participated in this study and were graciously willing to share your stories and perspectives. This thesis would not be what it is without you! v ABSTRACT In this thesis I explore the different stories students of color draw from and internalize to understand their identities in relation to oppression and resilience. Through reviewing critical race theory (CRT) and critical whiteness literature, I identify what I call the “oppression narrative”, in which students of color are often discussed as being oppressed and disadvantaged. Stories are powerful, and in many ways the stories we hear and believe about ourselves make us who we are. Eight narrative, semi-structured interviews were conducted with students who attended a predominately white institution (PWI) and identified as black or Latinx. Seven themes emerged as influential in how these students chose to identify themselves, and how their stories reflected oppression and/or processes of resiliency in making sense of and navigating their world: external/internal identity tension, not leading with challenges, claiming privilege or support, denying a deficit, identity as an anchor, using community, and reframing circumstance and highlighting victories. These eight students’ stories rejected the oppression narrative and their narratives reveal the many ways in which they engage in processes of resiliency through difficult circumstance. vi TABLE OF CONTENTS T DEDICATION ................................................................................................................... iv ACKNOWLEGMENTS ......................................................................................................v ABSTRACT ....................................................................................................................... vi LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS ............................................................................................ xi CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................1 Rationale ..................................................................................................................1 CHAPTER TWO: REVIEW OF LITERATURE ................................................................6 Critical Race Theory ................................................................................................6 From Law to Education ...............................................................................6 Critiques .......................................................................................................8 Key Tenets .................................................................................................10 Schools of Thought ....................................................................................13 Discourse and Identity ...........................................................................................14 Theoretical Extension: Critical Whiteness Studies ....................................15 Placing Race and Racism at the Center of Discourse ............................................18 Race Evolution ...........................................................................................19 The Liberal Race Narrative ........................................................................20 The Oppression Narrative ......................................................................................22 The Role of Majoritarian Stories and Counternarrative ............................24 vii The Construction of Master Narratives......................................................25 Positioned as Oppressed in Higher Education .......................................................27 Wellness and Resilience ........................................................................................31 Why Consider Resilience Among Students of Color? ...............................32 Resilience Defined .....................................................................................34 Resilience, Narrative and Personal Identity ...............................................35 CRT and Resilience ...............................................................................................38 Barriers to Resilience .................................................................................38 Students of Color and Resilience ...............................................................40 Summary ................................................................................................................42 Purpose Statement and Research Questions ..........................................................43 CHAPTER THREE: METHODS ......................................................................................45 Participants .............................................................................................................45 Demographics ............................................................................................45 Recruitment ............................................................................................................46 Procedures ..............................................................................................................46 Interview Guide .....................................................................................................48 Analysis..................................................................................................................49 CHAPTER FOUR: PARTICIPANT PROFILES ..............................................................52 Introduction ............................................................................................................52 Individual Stories ...................................................................................................52 Ashton— Keeping Perspective ..................................................................52 Cake— Persistence ....................................................................................53 viii Karen— Making My Own Path .................................................................53 Dion— Learning ........................................................................................54 Coffee— For the Greater Good .................................................................54 Liny— Changing Perceptions ....................................................................55 J. Adeline Grey— Freedom .......................................................................55 Amelia—Giving Back ...............................................................................56 CHAPTER