“This Is My Texas A&M:” the Interplay of Institutional and Individual
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“THIS IS MY TEXAS A&M:” THE INTERPLAY OF INSTITUTIONAL AND INDIVIDUAL “NARRATIVES OF DIFFERENCE” IN HIGHER EDUCATION A Dissertation by ALEXANDRA NATALIA NICOLE SCHUUR SOUSA Submitted to the Office of Graduate and Professional Studies of Texas A&M University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY Chair of Committee, J. Kevin Barge Co-Chair of Committee, Anna Wolfe Committee Members, Srividya Ramasubramanian Elsa Gonzalez Head of Department, J. Kevin Barge May 2019 Major Subject: Communication Copyright 2019 Alexandra N. Sousa ABSTRACT Although most colleges and universities claim to be committed to the values of diversity and inclusion, repeated race-related incidents across the nation highlight the ongoing need to engage issues of race on college campuses. However, it is important to explore these issues at the institutional and individual level. Narratives are an important way to engage this interplay because they serve as tools for both institutional and individual identity negotiation. In particular, I am focused on “narratives of difference,” which I define as those that explore experiences of difference and identity. As such, this study examines how institutional and individual “narratives of difference” interact within institutions of higher education to influence core organizational narratives and students’ relationship to the institution. In order to engage this central problem, I employed three methodologies: (1) archival analysis, (2) photovoice, and (3) walking tour interviews. What I found is that Texas A&M has framed its core institutional narratives, which are grounded in its (military) history, traditions, and core values, to reinforce the notion of the “Aggie Family” as inherently inclusive. The result is the advancement of a model of inclusion as assimilation. As long as newcomers, regardless of their identities, are willing to assimilate into the existing culture, they will be welcomed here. Likewise, the university uses memorialized places and campus tours as occasions for telling this institutional story stock and to reinforce its macro culture. At Texas A&M University, being part of the “Aggie Family” is a unifying force and students across all racial groups take pride in it. However, how exactly the “Aggie Family” is defined is more malleable than the university presents. While the institution has promoted the values of the “Aggie Family” as inherently inclusive, the experiences of diverse students challenge this. They resist full assimilation into this construction by joining identity-based ii organizations and creating supportive communities with other students from similar backgrounds, highlighting means of improving inclusivity. These findings illuminate meaningful implications for higher education institutions, organizations in general, as well as the field of communication. iii DEDICATION To the many people who have entrusted me with their stories. iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This work would not have been possible without the many people who supported me endlessly along the way. I’d like to begin by thanking the many individuals at Texas A&M University who have participated in my studies over the years. Your stories have always inspired me and I thank you for entrusting me with them. And thank you to everyone who works tirelessly to make our Texas A&M community a more inclusive place. What you do is so important and I am proud to be among you. I would also like to thank my dissertation committee for inspiring me to do work that I’m passionate about and pushing me to be the best scholar possible. To Kevin Barge, thank you for being a caring mentor over the last five years. You have taught me how to engage in work that is impactful and fair. But more importantly, I am inspired by your genuine care for people. When I see you, the first thing we talk about is never an impending deadline or things that have to be done. Instead, you always ask, “How are you?” and that kindness impacted me more than you know. Anna Wolfe, you are a major reason this work became a true reflection of who I am. You introduced me to the power of narrative and storytelling as a scholar, and it has been transformative. You’re such an inspiring person and mentor, and I want to thank you for always having my back. Srivi Ramasubramanian, you are the first person I formed a relationship with here at Texas A&M and it has impacted me deeply. Thank you for teaching me how to say something with my work, to be vulnerable, to be honest, and to live life with passion. No words can capture all you’ve done to make this world better. And to Elsa Gonzalez, thank you for pushing me to be a more authentic scholar and to tell my story. You’ve taught me that my voice matters, and that I have a responsibility to tell the stories of others in a meaningful and honest way. v Thanks also goes to my family and friends. Mom and dad, thank you for raising me to appreciate hard work and perseverance. During the toughest days of this project, it helped keep me going. To Nicole, thank you for being my rock and showing me that being a parent goes beyond biology. And to Nicholas, you’re the most important person in my world and I am proud to be your sister. I’d also like to thank my friends, who have also become part of my family. Corrine Wright, my best friend of over fifteen years, you’re my family and I love you endlessly. Jerome Shields, your friendship over the last six years is irreplaceable and your support has been unwavering. And to Jess Gantt Shafer and Paige Bukowski Gloeckner, thank you for being the badass women and scholars you are and for always lifting me up. And lastly, to Cody. Thank you for the endless ways you showed me love and support throughout this process. You were patient and thoughtful, but also an important sounding board for my ideas. You pushed me to be better. And you made sure I never went hungry! vi CONTRIBUTORS AND FUNDING SOURCES Contributors This work was supervised by a dissertation committee consisting of co-advisor Dr. J. Kevin Barge, co-advisor Dr. Anna Wolfe, and Dr. Srividya Ramasubramanian, of the Department of Communication, as well as Dr. Elsa Gonzalez, a Professor of Education. The work conducted for this dissertation was completed by the student independently. Funding Sources This study was partially supported by the Diversity Matters SEED Grant from the Office of Diversity at Texas A&M University. vii TABLE OF CONTENTS Page ABSTRACT ............................................................................................................................. ii DEDICATION ......................................................................................................................... iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ..................................................................................................... v CONTRIBUTORS AND FUNDING SOURCES ................................................................... vii TABLE OF CONTENTS ......................................................................................................... viii LIST OF FIGURES ................................................................................................................. x LIST OF TABLES ................................................................................................................... xi PROLOGUE ....................................................................................................................... 1 CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................ 5 Organization of Chapter ..................................................................................................... 8 Narratives, Identity, and Diversity ..................................................................................... 8 Higher Education Institutions and “Narratives of Difference” .......................................... 11 “Narratives of Difference” Connecting Institution and Individual .................................... 16 Summary and Dissertation Overview ................................................................................ 19 CHAPTER II LITERATURE REVIEW ............................................................................. 22 Narrative v. Story ............................................................................................................... 23 Responses to Racism in Higher Education ....................................................................... 26 Institutional Narratives ....................................................................................................... 28 Individual Narratives ........................................................................................................ 31 Narrative Sensemaking and Socialization ......................................................................... 33 Summary and Presentation of Research Questions ........................................................... 38 CHAPTER III METHODOLOGY ...................................................................................... 40 Researcher Positionality ..................................................................................................... 42 Study Methodologies ......................................................................................................... 45 Narrative Analysis ............................................................................................................. 58 viii Page CHAPTER IV (RE)PRESENTATIONS