Miami University The Graduate School CERTIFICATE FOR APPROVING THE DISSERTATION We hereby approve the dissertation of Kyra T. Shahid Candidate for the degree: Doctorate of Philosophy ________________________________________ Director Dr. Denise Taliaferro Baszile ________________________________________ Reader Dr. Dennis Carlson ________________________________________ Reader Dr. Sally Lloyd ________________________________________ Graduate School Representative Dr. Paula Saine ABSTRACT FINDING EDEN: HOW BLACK WOMEN USE SPIRITUALITY TO NAVIGATE ACADEMIA by Kyra T. Shahid This narrative inquiry examines the role of spirituality in the professional practices of African American women in academia. Specifically, I conceptualize the tensions between intellectualism and spirituality as African American female faculty working in predominately- White universities negotiate them. Although there has been an increase in scholarship concerning spirituality and education in recent years, rarely have scholars looked at the ways in which African American faculty might use spirituality to address epistemic violence in the academy. The topic brings to bear a worthy discussion of the historical relationship between spirituality and intellectualism in the lives of African Americans as well as the intellectual warfare waged upon Black epistemologies in American educational institutions. African American women in particular, face a perpetuation of negative racial constructions through curricular, pedagogical, and administrative practices that has led many to believe that they had to choose between culture and intellectualism (Crane, 1994; Burrell, 2010). The narratives of the women in this study provide insights on how certain women navigate such choices. The purpose of this study is to explore how African American women faculty use spirituality to negotiate their relationship to knowledge in ways that transcend the negative effects of racism. The research question that guides this study is how do African American women use spirituality to navigate academia? This study is significant because it examines and analyzes a form of resistance that is important to educational struggles about what constitutes knowledge and how particular knowledge is used in oppressive ways. The narratives of these scholars substantiate the importance of spirituality in the lives of women and provide insights on how African American spirituality affects the intellectual strivings of Black women educators. FINDING EDEN: HOW BLACK WOMEN USE SPIRITUALITY TO NAVIGATE ACADEMIA A DISSERTATION Submitted to the Faculty of Miami University in partial Fulfillment of the requirements For the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Department of Educational Leadership by Kyra T. Shahid Miami University Oxford, Ohio 2014 Dissertation Director: Dr. Denise Taliaferro Baszile © Kyra T. Shahid 2014 Table of Contents Dedication ...................................................................................................................................... iv Acknowledgements ......................................................................................................................... v Chapter 1: Introduction ................................................................................................................... 1 Preface ......................................................................................................................................... 1 Epistemic Warfare ....................................................................................................................... 6 Statement of the problem ............................................................................................................ 8 Examining a spiritual disconnect in academe ........................................................................... 11 General review of Methodology ............................................................................................... 13 Methods ..................................................................................................................................... 14 Theoretical lens ......................................................................................................................... 15 Significance of Study ................................................................................................................ 17 Conclusion ................................................................................................................................. 19 Chapter 2: Literature Review ........................................................................................................ 21 Intersectionalities of being Black and Female: A gendered race and a raced gender ............... 22 Review of theoretical literature: Endarkened feminist revelations ........................................... 23 Review of empirical literature: Exposing epistemological warfare .......................................... 30 Spirituality in the African American Community ..................................................................... 37 Spirituality in the academy ........................................................................................................ 46 Conclusion ................................................................................................................................. 50 Chapter 3: Methodology ............................................................................................................... 52 Preface to the theoretical framework ........................................................................................ 52 An endarkened feminist epistemology ...................................................................................... 54 Narrative Inquiry ....................................................................................................................... 59 Participants ................................................................................................................................ 60 Data Collection .......................................................................................................................... 62 Data Analysis ............................................................................................................................ 63 Trustworthiness and ethics ........................................................................................................ 64 Limitations ................................................................................................................................ 65 Chapter 4: Participant Narratives .................................................................................................. 66 Nina’s song: Working in the “thicket” ...................................................................................... 66 ii Stephanie’s song: “I don’t know how to be spiritual, because the book learning is kicking in” ................................................................................................................................................... 74 Sarah’s song: “Running with the wolves to protect the sheep” ................................................ 80 Anita’s song: I may not walk on water, but I don’t deserve to drown ...................................... 86 Julia’s song: I’m not conformed to academe, I transform academe .......................................... 91 Mia’s song: There’s a well over here, you can draw from me .................................................. 95 Exploration of root narratives ................................................................................................. 105 Implications for change ........................................................................................................... 109 Concluding thoughts ............................................................................................................... 113 References ................................................................................................................................... 114 Appendix A ................................................................................................................................. 120 IRB Consent form ................................................................................................................... 120 Appendix B ................................................................................................................................. 121 Interview Protocol ................................................................................................................... 121 Appendix C ................................................................................................................................. 123 Member checking .................................................................................................................... 123 iii Dedication To my first natural born daughter, Eden Fahari. Your name means perfect splendor and you are indeed a beautiful reflection of the faultless grace of God. May this work help catapult you beyond known barriers and into your destiny. To my God-sent daughter, Melanie Elaine. May you always know that you are a beautiful Black queen. No matter where this life leads you, know that you are purposed by God. To all of the beautiful Black women that have been present along my journey both in flesh and in spirit. It is on your shoulders and your backs that