Let's Talk About [Race], Baby

In order to begin dismantling the systems of oppression embedded within institutions of higher education, the intersection between language, race, and power needs to be further studied. This study focuses on the question... [ view full abstract ]

In order to begin dismantling the systems of oppression embedded within institutions of higher education, the intersection between language, race, and power needs to be further studied. This study focuses on the question “What role does language play in classroom conversations about race?” and seeks to add to the discourse by identifying factors that are driving or impeding conversations about race in academic settings. Two specific communities of Middlebury College students were interviewed: White students and students of Color who are upperclassmen.  This study was designed as a series of in-depth interviews with a total of six individuals, based on two main questions: 1) When have you partaken in conversations about race? 2) What role does politically correct language play in these conversations? One principal theme that emerged in participants’ responses was fear. The reluctance of White students to engage in conversations about race was ultimately interpreted differently between the two groups. Hence, conversations about race are often stalled because of the preliminary question: “How does one talk about race?”