Identifying and Preventing
Microaggressions
Facilitators: Drs. Nancy Ares and Dena Phillips Swanson
Session goals:
(a) to define microaggressions
(b) to discuss examples in identifying microaggressions
(c) to identify institutional practices
(d) to explore preventive strategies
1
Racial Microaggressions in
Everyday Life
Derald Wing Sue et al.
(2007)
2
Microaggressions
• Brief, everyday exchanges that convey
denigrating messages…
– often unintentional and unconsciously
delivered in the form of subtle snubs,
dismissive looks, gestures and tones.
– particularly salient in the context of relational
dynamics and inherent in power dynamics
which further complicate the impact.
3
Microaggression Dilemma
• Invisibility of Unintentional Bias
– Race does not effect how you are treated or
your opportunities for success
• The most accurate assessment of a bias statement is
from those disempowered rather than from those that
enjoy the privilege of position or power
4
Microaggression Dilemma
• Perceived Minimal Harm
– Those not affected consider them minor and
encourage those affected to not waste time or
effort on addressing them
• The cumulative effects of microaggressions
contribute to self-doubt, frustration, and isolation
5
A Framing for Diversity
• Considerations
– Climate and intergroup relations
– Access and success
– Education
– Institutional vitality
• Context
– Local (academic program/department)
– Global (university level; school level)
6
Critical Race Theory, Racial
Micro-aggressions, and
Campus Racial Climate: The
Experiences of African
American College Students
Solórzano, Ceja, and Yosso
(2000)
Subtle, Covert
“…one must not look for the gross and
obvious. The subtle, cumulative miniassault is the substance of today’s
racism” (Pierce, 1974, p. 516)
Linkages
•
•
•
•
Racial stereotypes
Cumulative racial micro-aggressions
Campus racial climate
Academic performance
Four Questions
• How do African American college students
experience racial micro-aggressions?
• What impact do these racial microaggressions have on African American
students:
• How do African American students respond
to racial micro-aggressions
• How do racial micro-aggressions affect the
collegiate racial climate?
Critical Race Theory
• Race and racism are endemic to US
society, as is intersectionality of forms of
subordination
• Centrality of non-dominant people and
communities’ experiences
• Commitment to social justice
• Transdisciplinary perspective
Micro-Aggressions in Classrooms
• Feeling invisible
• Experiences omitted,distorted, stereotyped
• Faculty-student interactions: requiring retake of
quiz
– I was doing really well in the class…We took a first
quiz…and I got like a 95…”We think you’ve cheated”
…And I got a 98 on the exam
• Self-doubt
– So you don’t feel like, “Well maybe it isnt me” ‘cause
you second-guess yourself…”Maybe I’m stupid!
Maybe I don’t understand what’s going on
Micro-Aggressions in Classrooms
• Segregation in in-class groups
• Personally diminished by White peers
– Intense scrutiny leads to feeling drained
• Assumptions about admissions (affirmative action)
– A couple of our class discussions were about…affirmative action,
and [the White] students…could not fathom that we earned our
way in here
• Assumptions about academic abilities
– A lot of people don’t accept the fact that … I got a scholarship for
academics. All my scholarships are in academics…not in sports
Micro-Aggressions Outside
Classrooms
• Academic spaces (covert)
– I was walking down the hallway…one of the
teacher’s door was open…She’s like, “Oh, I
should have locked the door. My purse is in
there.” I was just, wow, maybe she should have
kept that to herself
– Last time we went to the library to study…it’s
like…they’ve never seen Black people before in
their lives, or they’ve never seen Black people
study before
Micro-Aggressions Outside
Classrooms
• Social spaces (overt)
– With school events, it’s definitely racial. They
[campus police] regulate and try to shut us
down…make us leave through certain (back)
doors
– Playing football in a campus parking lot…all of a
sudden there’s a total of four or five [police] cars
all here for us who are not displaying any type of
violence…we pleaded our case for at least a good
45 minutes..we had to leave
Effects of Micro-Aggressions
• Defensive stance
– I have to be on my guard every time I go in to
talk to a professor…an advisor…to
anyone…are they really here to help me or to
lead me down a path I don’t want?
• “Spokesperson pressure”
– You’re going to get called on, just because
they want a Black perspective and you’re the
only one
Effects of Micro-Aggressions
• Tiring
– I was naïve, but now I’m cynical…I had to fight
every day through all the racism I felt…when you try
and voice something to somebody, they don’t want
to hear it….I’m tired of it
• Pushed to the point of exit
– Got a B in physics before she came…took physics
again…she did everything…went to the chancellor
[who] asked whether or not she was on financial
aid..she’s transferring to Howard
Counter-Spaces as Response
• Daily barrage of micro-aggressions in and
outside of class
• Deficit notions of people of color challenged
• Source of support
– I chose to live on the African American theme floor…if
I don’t have the support then that can be very
discouraging
– I just feel more comfortable dealing with African
Americans…look for the first African American face
because…they’re going to be more sympathetic
Challenges to …
• College as equal, colorblind, race-neutral
• Ignoring, downplaying threats, assaults in
the form of micro-aggressions
• Such incidents, experiences as innocuous
The affect is cumulative