Faculty of Color in Higher Education: Exploring the Intersections of Identity, Impostorship, and Internalized Racism

Abstract

Mentoring for faculty of color is critical given their underrepresentation in American colleges and universities. However, the ways in which faculty of color internalize racialized oppression and how it affects their success remains understudied. In this manuscript, the authors juxtapose a literature synthesis concerning faculty of color against a critical review of impostorship theory and impostor syndrome as these phenomena are found to contribute to disparate success trends among marginalized groups in higher education. More specifically, the authors discuss the ways impostor syndrome is shaped among faculty of color and how this disorder is potentially reproduced through their relationships with students in postsecondary education. The authors conclude with implications for mentoring and developing faculty of color, proffering new ways of thinking about relevant frameworks and approaches.

Keywords:

• faculty
• race
• racism
• mentoring
• professional development