Week 2 Article_ Race without Racism_ How Higher Education Researchers Minimize Racist Institutional Norms

Overview

  • Article Title: Race Without Racism: How Higher Education Researchers Minimize Racist Institutional Norms

  • Author: Shaun R. Harper

  • Publication: The Review of Higher Education, Volume 36, Number 1, Fall 2012 Supplement, pp. 9-29

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1353/rhe.2012.0047

Key Concepts

  • Racism in Research:

    • Researchers often limit the scope of racism in sociological studies, often viewing it as extreme actions rather than institutional frameworks.

    • Defines racism as both individual actions and structural/institutional norms that perpetuate inequalities.

  • Minoritization vs Minority:

    • The term "minoritized" reflects the social construction of underrepresentation in institutions where Whiteness is overrepresented.

  • Critical Race Theory:

    • Highlights the importance of recognizing racism in addressing racial inequities in higher education.

    • Scholars fail to use this analytical lens in their studies, offering alternative explanations for disparities.

Methodology

  • Analyzed 255 peer-reviewed articles from seven focused higher education journals (1999-2009).

  • Focused on how race-related findings were discussed, looking specifically for the presence of racism or racist terminology in the "Discussion" and "Implications" sections.

  • Common semantic substitutes for "racism": alienating, hostile, chilly, etc., were frequently used without engaging the concept of racism directly.

Findings

  • Institutional Avoidance of Racism:

    • Researchers often provide explanations for racial disparities that do not mention racism as a factor.

    • For example, Black faculty’s publishing struggles attributed to financial burdens instead of institutional bias.

    • Findings frequently suggest alternative causes for lower academic achievement of Black students without considering the impact of racism or social stereotypes.

  • Semantic Substitutes:

    • Terms like "prejudicial" or "marginalizing" replace direct references to racism, diluting the impact of findings.

    • Only 21.6% of articles used the terms "racism" or "racist," often in trivial contexts.

Recommendations for Future Research

  • Call for deeper exploration and acknowledgment of racism in higher education research.

  • Emphasis on using critical race theory to better understand racial issues in postsecondary education.

  • Address the need for researchers to evaluate their findings through the lens of racism rather than avoid the term.

Conclusion

  • The avoidance of discussing racism hinders the goal of achieving equity in higher education.

  • Researchers must engage with the realities of racism to effectively address disparities and improve conditions for minoritized people.