Warrior women: A qualitative content analysis of the perceptions of the experiences of Native American professors in the academy
Year: 2008
Type: article
Abstract: Studies examining the experiences of Native American women professors have been limited.This study explored the perceptions of Native American women professors through the following themes: manifestations of interlocking race, class, and gender bias; challenges from academic "old boy" networks; feelings of being isolated and underrepresented; connections to one or more tribal nation(s); influence of cultural traditions and values; concerns about tribal, national, and transnational identities; salience of race over gender; being underemployed and overused by departments and/or institutions; being torn between family, community and career obligations; and being challenged by students.Through the use of postcolonial feminist theory and qualitative content analysis methodology of ten articles from the Winter/Spring 2003 Special Issue: Native Experiences in the Ivory Tower of the American Indian Quarterly, this study examined the experiences of Native American women professors within the academy, as it represents the legacy of Western colonialism.The findings revealed the Native American women professors: (1) were consciously aware of how their identities as Native American women shaped their encounters with non-Native administrators, colleagues and students; (2) openly expressed positive views of their tribal affiliations; (3) viewed the academy as an extension of the continuing legacy of colonization; (4) saw their identities as Indigenous women as a source of empowerment; and (5) had deeply held concerns for broader issues that impacted Indigenous communities.As members of colonized groups, the stories of Native American women professors serve as a form of resistance to cultural hegemony.Within the aforementioned contexts, Native American women professors addressed issues of social justice such as self-determination and decolonization as components of their survival/sustainability within higher education.
Author: Onllwyn Cavan Dixon
Institution: University of San Francisco
Language: English
Subfield: Sociology and Political Science
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W1748346776