Microaggressions: Black Students' Experiences of Racism on Campus

Abstract

This thesis is based on three different focus groups held in the summer of 2018 with a total of twelve Black students. It examines a group of Black students’ experiences of racist microaggressions on the campus of a large comprehensive Canadian university situated in an urban setting. Using Critical Race Theory it analyzes how seemingly neutral comments, slights, snubs or representations by white students and professors contributes to a culture of anti-Black racism on this campus. Key to this analysis is the shift from traditional forms of racism to more subtle forms of racism in contemporary society, and the role that institutions play in reproducing racism. Microaggressions thus characterise the subtle way in which racism is perpetuated in contemporary society. The experiences described by the twelve students in this research study demonstrate the prevalence of microaggressions in the lives of Black students in this Canadian university. Furthermore, the four broad themes emerge from the focus group discussions: the lack of diversity in the student population and faculty, the invalidation of Black experiences, stereotypical representations of Black people and cultures, and gendered racism, give further nuance to the types of messages that Black students are exposed to at this university. This analysis produces a deeper understanding of how these micro-level interactions contribute to the broader culture of racism on campuses.