Employing Autoethnography to Examine Our Diverse Identities: Striving Towards Equitable and Socially Just Stances in Literacy Teaching and Research

Abstract

This paper brings together the storied experiences of a group of diverse scholars from Ghana, Uzbekistan, and the United States who use a collaborative autoethnographic lens to engage in the process of self-reflection/self-critique with respect to salient aspects of their identities (e.g., race, language, gender, socioeconomic status, and so forth). Each scholar also explores how her identity informs and influences her attitudes, behaviors, beliefs and actions with respect to the equitable enactment of her pedagogy and research. (Palmer, 2007, p. 2). KEYWORDSAs teachers and researchers, we have long known that our social identities 2 shape and impact our work-for better or worse (Anyon, 1980;Rist, 1970;Weis, Cipollone & Jenkins, 2014). Historically, scholars have studied identity development and its impact on our work as educators and researchers (e.g., Helms, 1990 (Goodman & Jackson, 2012, p. 218). Thus, our identities are fluid and dynamic. By constructing contexts whereby we engage in in-depth reflection, and thoughtful self-critique, we can cultivate new and more equitable and socially just identities. In short, we can examine and nurture positive change in the multiple "selves" that comprise our identities. This matters because engaging in the process of self-reflection/self-critique with an eye towards self-improvement can positively impact our work as educators and researchers and provide a foundation from which we work to foster equity in our teaching and research (Howard, 2016).This paper brings together the storied experiences of a group of diverse scholars from Ghana, Uzbekistan, and the United States, nested within the same university. We use a collaborative autoethnographic lens (e.g., Diversi & Moreira, 2009;Gale & Wyatt, 2009) to engage in the process of self-reflection/self-critique with respect to salient aspects of equity as integral to our identities. Here, individual scholars' self-reflexive vignettes are framed from different autoethnographic traditions. Each scholar explores aspects of her equity identity such as race, language, religion, gender, or socioeconomic status, and questions how identity may influence her attitudes, beliefs, and actions regarding pedagogy and research. The purpose of this paper is to illuminate ways in which different approaches to autoethnography can be used to interrogate the complex interplay of our identities with an eye towards understanding and promoting equity in education. This paper is divided into four major sections. First, we discuss the nature of our collaboration. Second, we articulate the conception of equity we use to frame and critique our individual stories.Third, we present five identity/equity vignettes, highlighting our distinct autoethnographic approaches. Finally, we explore how our individual identity/equity vignettes might inform (a) our future individual and collective work, and (b) the field of education, in general, and literacy education, in particular. This kind of reflexive work matters because educators and researchers a...

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