Date of Award
12-2021
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Department
Education and Organizational Leadership Development
Committee Chair/Advisor
Dr. Natasha Croom
Committee Member
Dr. Michelle Boettcher
Committee Member
Dr. Tony Cawthon
Committee Member
Dr. Cassie Quigley
Abstract
Despite having the necessary credentials to assume executive-level leadership positions at institutions of higher education, Black women continue to be among the least represented in these roles, especially at predominantly White institutions. The purpose of this qualitative study was to illuminate and understand how interlocking systems of oppression impact the leadership and decision-making experiences of Black women in executive-level leadership positions at predominantly White public research institutions in the U.S. The research question was: How do Black women in executive-level leadership positions at predominantly White public research institutions in the U.S. make sense of misogynoir in relation to their leadership and decision-making experiences? Misogynoir is the “anti-Black racist misogyny that Black women experience” (Bailey & Trudy, 2018, p. 2).
Eight Black women in executive-level leadership positions at predominantly White public research institutions in the U.S. took part in the study, each participating in a semi-structured interview lasting approximately 90 minutes. Basic Interpretive Inquiry was the methodology utilized in the study. The experiences of the research participants shed light on the ways in which operating within educational systems built upon White supremacist patriarchy impact the experiences of the Black women administrators they employ. The ways the participants made sense of misogynoir in relation to their leadership and decision-making experiences included the pervasive nature of the controlling images (Collins, 2009) about Black women in their interactions with students, faculty, and staff. They also made sense of misogynoir in how their strong sense of purpose to advocate for the needs of minoritized communities led them to use their agency to challenge the oppressive systems in their work environment. This was juxtaposed with how the policies, practices, and norms of the predominantly White public research institutions in the U.S. that employed them made it difficult for them to live out their purpose in this regard. The research participants also made sense of how exercising their agency, as well as the sense of responsibility to advocate for minoritized communities, had consequences for them—mentally, physically, and professionally.
Recommended Citation
Richardson, Altheia, "The Impact of Interlocking Systems of Oppression on the Leadership and Decision-Making Experiences of Black Women in Executive-Level Leadership Positions at Predominantly White Public Research Institutions in the United States" (2021). All Dissertations. 2948.
https://tigerprints.clemson.edu/all_dissertations/2948