Understanding Whiteness - A Multicontextual Overview of Whiteness in Campus Climate - Shelby L. Williams

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by dabgoudw

Whiteness is more than a racial identity; it is a concept embedded in the structures and histories of many higher-education institutions. Because Whiteness is pervasive, campus climates often become hostile and unsupportive for students who identify as Black, Indigenous, and People of Color. Campus climate is shaped by multiple internal and external contexts. Examining these contexts helps reveal how Whiteness originates in institutional operations and how it influences campus experiences.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages11

Reading Time28 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Introduction

Hegemonic Whiteness Formation

Critical Whiteness Studies (CWS)

Colorblindness

Epistemologies of Ignorance

Ontological Expansiveness

Understanding Whiteness A Multicontextual Overview of Whiteness in Campus Climate Shelby L.Williams The Journal of Educational Foundations Vol. 33, No. 1, 2, 3, & 4 2020, pp. 95-105 Copyright 2020 by Caddo Gap Press Abstract Whiteness is more than a racial identity. It is a concept that is deeply embedded into the structures and histories of many institutions of higher education. Due to the pervasiveness of Whiteness, institutions are likely to have campus climates that are hostile and unsupportive of students who identify as Black, Indigenous, and People of Color. Campus climate is comprised of multiple dimensions, and it is influenced by multiple contexts that are both internal and external to the institution. By examining these contexts, institutions can unearth the origins of Whiteness in their operations and examine the influence on campus climate. Introduction Whiteness is more than an identity; it is a systemic issue built into the bedrock of educational institutions in the United States. Prospective students from minoritized groups are met with resistance rooted in Whiteness during the admissions process, and the barriers do not end there. Many universities have histories of intentional exclusion of students who are Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) . Due to racial segregation, institutional processes have been customized to meet the needs of White students, which has ultimately resulted in racial privilege (Garces & Jayakumar, 2014). The most notable example is the University of Virginia, which was founded by President Thomas Jefferson. Jefferson was a proponent of equality in word but not in his actions. In addition to owning slaves, he mandated segregation in campus Shelby L. Williams is the accreditation and assessment support coordinator in the Educational Studies Department at Berea College, Berea, Kentucky. Her e-mail address [is: williamssh@berea.edu](is: williamssh@berea.edu) spaces to limit contact between White students and the enslaved Black workers who maintained the campus (Whitford, 2019) . Today, BIPOC students are still impacted by the racist histories of their institutions. BIPOC students are welcomed to campuses across the nation, yet they face a hostile college climate. White peers and faculty inflict psychological harm with microaggressions (Cabrera et al., 2017; Harper, 2015). White students use “affirmative action” as an attack that undermines the intellectual abilities ofBIPOC students by questioning whether or not they earned their place on campus (Vue, Haslerig, & Allen, 2017) . While White members of the campus community are creating hostile environments for BIPOC students, they are also feeling challenged by interracial environments, likely due to a rudimentary understanding of race. Cabrera (2014) interviewed White male college students about their perceptions of racism, and four themes of Whiteness emerged in students’responses. First, a majority ofstudents definedracism asanindividualissue rooted in hatred and perceptions of inferiority. Secondly, students had a tendency to minimize and dismiss BIPOC individuals who reported racism as a barrier to success. The students expressed that BIPOC individuals experienced racial inequality due to having values that did not support educational attainment or upward social mobility. Thirdly, the students believed that multicultural efforts resulted in “reverse racism” and that they had experienced racism from BIPOC students. Lastly, students felt like their college experience had a minimal influence on their racial views. In conclusion, Cabrera (2014) stated that understanding how White people perceive racism and racial privilege “provides insight into the process of hegemonic Whiteness formation”(p. 51) . Hegemonic Whiteness Formation Critical Whiteness Studies (CWS) is an epistemology that identifies the social structures that support and recreate White hegemony (Cabrera, 2014) . Cabrera et al. (2017) id

FAQs

How does the paper define Whiteness in relation to higher education institutions?

Whiteness is presented as more than a racial identity: it is a systemic concept built into the structures and histories of higher education institutions.

What is campus climate, and how is it shaped according to the paper?

Campus climate is described as multi-dimensional and influenced by multiple internal and external contexts connected to institutional operations.

What are colorblindness and epistemologies of ignorance, and why are they harmful?

Colorblindness claims racial inequality is no longer an issue and can reinforce Whiteness through a false sense of harmony. Epistemologies of ignorance describe gaps in understanding that allow systemic racism to remain uninterrogated.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by dabgoudw