Theoretical frameworks for African American women

Abstract

Applying appropriate theoretical frameworks for black women is challenging because many theories are very general and do not consider multiple identities and roles. Critical race theory and black feminist thought are suggested as appropriate frameworks and applied to the needs of black women in higher education.

“Nowhere for me to go:” Black Female Student-Athlete Experiences on a Predominantly White Campus

“…Over twenty years later that statement still rings true as there continues to be a dearth of work on the lived experiences of Black female student-athletes on college campuses. While there is a growing body of research on Black male student-athletes (e.g., Hodge, Burden, Robinson & Bennett;2008;Singer, 2005) and female student-athletes in general (e.g., Person, Benson-Quaziena, & Rogers, 2001;Petrie & Stover, 1997), there is little acknowledgement of individuals at the intersection of these two identities-student-athletes who are both Black and female (Bower & Martin, 1999;Howard-Hamilton, 2003). Yet what is clear from the research is that the experiences of Black women are different from those of both White women and Black men (Bruening, Armstrong, & Pastore, 2005;Etzel, Ferrante, & Pickney, 2002).…”

Voices of African‐American doctoral students in special education: addressing the shortage in leadership preparation

“…The concept of 'outsider within' is a metaphor used frequently in the critical race literature to address the positionality and marginalization of individuals of color (Collins 2000;Howard-Hamilton 2003;Yosso 2005). Isolation as articulated by the participants represents the loneliness experienced due to the lack of students and faculty of color in the department.…”

Reflections of Black Women Academics at South African Universities: A Narrative Case Study

“…The bases of Black feminist thought are rooted in studies of the different feminist's voices that have questioned, exposed, and provoked debate on the conditions of black women in the United States (Osada and Conceicao da Costa 2009). According to Howard-Hamilton (2003) the theory provides an appropriate framework which adds an important element of depth to our understandings about the struggles and needs of Black women in academia. It rejects the notion of universal laws of behaviour, favouring idiosyncratic approaches by focussing on individual functioning, goals and meaning within Black female realities (Stephens and Phillips 2005).…”

“…Fourthly, "Ethic of personal accountability", it refers to knowledge claims which lack objectivity. The Black feminist thought is therefore the relevant theory to apply for the purpose of this study as it is important in assisting Black university women researchers to effectively deal with the wide array of microagressive indignities (racist attitudes and behaviours) encountered in their daily campus experiences (Howard-Hamilton 2003). In summary, Black feminist thought formed the basis of the theoretical lens through which the experiences of the Black woman academics who participated in this study were viewed.…”