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The Urban Review

, Volume 49, Issue 1, pp 112–139 | Cite as

Why Diversity Matters in Rural America: Women Faculty of Color Challenging Whiteness

  • Keonghee Tao Han
  • Jacqueline Leonard
Article
First Online:

Abstract

Using critical race theory as an analytical framework to examine White privilege and institutional racism, two teacher educators, in a rural predominantly White university tell counterstories about teaching for social justice in literacy and mathematics education courses. In sharing our counterstories in this paper, we, women faculty of color, challenge Whiteness and institutional racism with the hopes of: (1) promoting social justice teaching in order to globally prepare (pre-and-in-service) teachers and educational leaders to motivate and empower ALL students to learn; (2) dismantling racism to promote better wellbeing for women faculty of color; and (3) moving educational communities at large closer toward equitable education, which is a fundamental civil right. After analyzing the counterstories, we suggest that university leaders establish policies and practices to support (recruit, retain, and promote) faculty/leaders of color, not just mainstream academics. Working toward equity and justice, we strive to form alliances between Whites and Others.

Keywords

Diversity and rurality Social justice Women faculty of color Teacher education Whiteness, White privilege and their links to education White-Other alliances 
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© Springer Science+Business Media New York 2016

Authors and Affiliations

  1. 1.Elementary and Early Childhood Education, College of EducationUniversity of WyomingLaramieUSA
  2. 2.Elementary and Early Childhood Education, College of EducationUniversity of WyomingLaramieUSA

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