Deconstructing the white visitor: Autoethnography and Critical White Studies in study abroad programs

ABSTRACT

Study abroad experiences provide teacher education programs with an opportunity to immerse their teacher candidates within linguistic and cultural contexts capable of broadening their views beyond their own settings with the hopes of improving their understanding and subsequent teaching of all children. Yet, from a Critical White Studies perspective, these same experiences can reify avoidance or enhance troubling views of children and families outside of the white dominant culture. Relying on autoethnographic methods, this article describes the importance of using Critical White Studies as a tool for classroom teachers as they navigated studying abroad. Autoethnographic study requires in-depth examination of how identity is understood by the self and others. The article examines how the teachers used course assignments focused on reflections, journaling, and follow up interviews and indicated that the teachers began to recognize their racial and linguistic positions of privilege through the use of autoethnographic methods. Recommendations for the utilization of autoethnography as a tool for teacher processing of study abroad experiences are included with specific course assignments and activities.

Disclosure Statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Additional Resources

1. Frank, C. (1999). Ethnographic Eyes: A Teacher’s Guide to Classroom Observation. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.

Frank details how teachers can bring ethnographic research methodology into their classrooms. Specific writing prompts and examples are provided to lead teachers into seeing their everyday environments in new ways. Students are focal points as are areas such as culture and relationships.

2. Hancock, S.D., Allen, A. & Lewis, C.W. (2015). Autoethnography as a Lighthouse: Illuminating Race, Research, and the Politics of Schooling. Charlotte, NC: Information Age.

This edited book provides autoethnographies written in school contexts that are instructive and engaging. Race is the focus of each chapter as individual authors share their voices in unique and powerful stories of their lives touched by schools. Chapters demonstrate how autoethnography is based on the author’s voice and can take on many forms

3. Hughes, S.A. & Pennington, J.L. (2017). Autoethnography: Process, Product, and Possibility for Critical Social Research. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

The authors provide a textbook on autoethnography that includes the history of autoethnography as well as an overview of the many types of autoethnography. Examples from students and their coursework are provided along with resources and illustrations of how autoethnographers across disciplines bring the method into their areas of study.