No, That's Not How You Pronounce My Name: Addressing Microaggressions in Higher Education
Location
Higher Education: Diversity, Inclusion, and Social Justice - Morgan
Proposal Track
Research Project
Session Format
Presentation
Abstract
Faculty, staff and students increasingly encounter situations in which words and behaviors may inadvertently insult or invalidate their lived experience. Sue (2010) posits that dismissiveness, invisibility, and subjugation of historically marginalized groups is pervasive and creates uncomfortable, unsafe and sometimes violent realities in higher education. Using participant experiences this workshop will illustrate the prevalence of microaggressions in higher education and offer microactivism as a conduit for achieving social justice. Through presentation, discussion and interactive exercises, participants will gain a deeper understanding of microaggressions, and its impact on interpersonal interactions across various identities. Additionally, participants will explore methods to disrupt biases and respond to microaggressions. The workshop will begin with an introduction to microaggressions: what they are, examples, and relevant literature about their impact in higher education. Centered in research-based strategies and frameworks, participants will explore the prevalence of microaggressions through activities that highlights participants’ personal experiences with micro-aggressive behaviors. Specifically, participants will collaborate in groups to role play, practice and discuss how to address microaggressions from a target and bystander perspective. All paper materials including scenarios and strategies will be provided. This workshop is intended for everyone, including faculty, students and staff.
Keywords
microaggression, higher education, discrimination, equity
Professional Bio
Drs. Natasha Ramsay-Jordan and Andrea Smith are Assistant Professors at the University of West Georgia within the College of Education. Their extensive training and research in anti-bias work, culturally responsive pedagogy, and educational equity positions them as leaders who engage individuals and institutions in productive dialogue and meaningful change. In addition, their published works examine these critical issues by illuminating voices of historically marginalized groups with respect to diverse student learners, teacher quality and professional development in higher education.
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Recommended Citation
Smith, Andrea N. and Ramsay-Jordan, Natasha, "No, That's Not How You Pronounce My Name: Addressing Microaggressions in Higher Education" (2019). Georgia Educational Research Association Conference. 20.
https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/gera/2019/2019/20
No, That's Not How You Pronounce My Name: Addressing Microaggressions in Higher Education
Higher Education: Diversity, Inclusion, and Social Justice - Morgan
Faculty, staff and students increasingly encounter situations in which words and behaviors may inadvertently insult or invalidate their lived experience. Sue (2010) posits that dismissiveness, invisibility, and subjugation of historically marginalized groups is pervasive and creates uncomfortable, unsafe and sometimes violent realities in higher education. Using participant experiences this workshop will illustrate the prevalence of microaggressions in higher education and offer microactivism as a conduit for achieving social justice. Through presentation, discussion and interactive exercises, participants will gain a deeper understanding of microaggressions, and its impact on interpersonal interactions across various identities. Additionally, participants will explore methods to disrupt biases and respond to microaggressions. The workshop will begin with an introduction to microaggressions: what they are, examples, and relevant literature about their impact in higher education. Centered in research-based strategies and frameworks, participants will explore the prevalence of microaggressions through activities that highlights participants’ personal experiences with micro-aggressive behaviors. Specifically, participants will collaborate in groups to role play, practice and discuss how to address microaggressions from a target and bystander perspective. All paper materials including scenarios and strategies will be provided. This workshop is intended for everyone, including faculty, students and staff.
