White Women, Racial Identity, and Learning about Racism in Graduate Preparation Programs

Abstract

This study explored how White women learned about racism and White privilege in higher education and student affairs (HESA) master’s degree programs. Drawn from a grounded theory, findings included 16 coursework and pre-professional experiences that generated racial dissonance, leading to “hunger” for more knowledge about racism and White privilege. White women’s experiences were uneven across programs and demonstrated resistance to White privilege. Findings offer implications for HESA programs and recommendations for future research.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Claire K. Robbins

Claire Robbins is assistant professor of Higher Education at Virginia Tech. She acknowledges insightful feedback from V. Barbara Bush, Carrie Kortegast, Chris Linder, Susan R. Jones, and two anonymous reviewers.