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How Far Does Influence Go? Racialized Resistance And University Culture, Chandra Reyna

McNair Scholars Research Journal

In recent years, universities have found themselves in the spotlight for their approaches to grievances of racial bias and discrimination. To better understand how university culture can influence millennials’ understanding and explanations of racial phenomena, I examine the ways in which students navigate issues of racial inequity. Data reveals that the culture of the examined university, created by an adoption of a racial orthodoxy, overwhelmingly leads to a system I call racialized resistance. Under racialized resistance, a student's race acts a master status and determines how they can participate in politicized civic engagement. I find students employ four strategies: strategic …