Straddling Class in the Academy by Sonja Ardoin

Straddling Class in the Academy by Sonja Ardoin

Author:Sonja Ardoin
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Stylus Publishing


Narrative Analysis

As we take in these three individuals’ stories, we should first note that, although they may be few in number, some senior administrators in the academy come from poor and working-class backgrounds. So, if you are reading this as someone who shares that background and aspires to serve in a similar capacity, know that is possible; and if you are reading this from a different lens, know that the senior administrator on your campus may take actions you don’t quite understand because their social class worldview differs from yours.

Our senior administrators describe for us some of their childhood experiences and then offer insights on how that upbringing melds into their present-day roles. All of them share the multitude of influences that taught them about their social class, noting family as the most prominent instructors. Although they hold different racial and ethnic identities, Mamta and Jeremiah both name the bootstrap theory that was present in their households and communities, the belief that it is up to individuals to work hard enough to alter their own circumstances and the disregard for any systemic barriers that might hamper that. Thomas mentions his own parents’ work ethic, holding multiple jobs at once, and talks about food as a symbol of social class in his household, utilizing coupons and making the most of leftovers. Jeremiah also examines how location and school rank, even at the preK–12 level, can impact one’s social and cultural capital and, correspondingly, how a student is perceived by peers, teachers, and administrators.

Mamta, Thomas, and Jeremiah discuss how these values and messages from their backgrounds manifest in their perceptions of higher education and their roles as senior administrators. Jeremiah offers his dual pride in his upbringing and the people involved in it and in his opportunities to grow through education but notes that, despite acquiring some middle-class ways and preferences, imposter syndrome can consistently lie below the surface. Mamta describes how she notices her social class background influencing her feelings and decisions around divisional budgeting and resource allocation. Similarly, Thomas explains the awkwardness that can arise at donor and fund raising events because of differing social class worldviews and types of navigational capital. Mamta also acknowledges the vulnerability it takes to talk about social class, particularly when someone experiences a clash between their class of origin and their current, or attributed class, or both. This complexity of identity and context can instill feelings of fear and guilt, both of which Mamta describes. Additionally, all three administrators reference other dimensions of their identities that interact with their social class—namely, race, culture, and gender. This highlights, yet again, that social class is not experienced in isolation and, thus, is influenced by and through its combination with other aspects of our identity.

The three individuals explore how the academy does—or does not—serve students from poor and working-class backgrounds. Thomas points out an array of barriers we create between students and their academic and cocurricular engagement, including time, costs, financial aid policies, and the conflation of racial and class identities that often results in inaccurate and harmful assumptions about students.



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