Race, Class, Gender, and Immigrant Identities in Education: Perspectives from First and Second Generation Ethiopian Students (Palgrave Studies in Race, Inequality and Social Justice in Education)

"This volume addresses the underlying intersections of race, class, and gender on immigrant girls experiences living in the US. It examines the impact of acculturation and assimilation on Ethiopian girls academic achievement, self-identity, and perception of beauty. The authors employ Critical Race Theory, Critical Race Feminism, and Afrocentricity to situate the study and unpack the narratives shared by these newcomers as they navigate social contexts rife with racism, xenophobia, and other forms of oppression. Lastly, the authors examine the implications of Ethiopian immigrant identities and experiences within multicultural education, policy development, and society."-- Back cover Contents 6 List of Figures 7 List of Tables 8 1 Introduction: Background and History of Ethiopia and Cultural Context 9 African Immigration 11 Ethiopian Immigration 13 Pre-colonial and De-colonial Ethiopian History 18 Black Women Immigrants 19 Critical Race Feminism: A Foundational Framework 21 Afrocentricity 24 Chapter Summary 26 References 26 2 Ethiopia Un-colonized and Unbound: Ancient to Present 34 Historical Overview 35 African Colonization and Ethiopia’s Distinction 35 Ethiopian Internal Political Conflicts 36 Ethiopia Post-war Identity and Globalization’s Impact 38 Transitioning from Ethiopia: SocioPolitical Perspective 40 Transitioning from Ethiopia: Economic Perspective 42 Transitioning from Ethiopia: Education Perspective 43 Social Constructions of Race vs. Ethnicity 45 Social Problem 47 Purpose of the Book 48 Significance of the Book 49 Definition of Terms 50 Acculturation 50 Assimilation 51 Beauty 51 Cultural Hegemony 51 Culture of Power 52 Foreign-Born 52 Immigrant 52 Legal Permanent Resident 52 Neoliberal Globalization 53 Othering 53 Race 53 Self-Identity 54 Chapter Summary 54 References 55 3 Critical Race Feminism and Afrocentricity 61 Critical Race Feminism 64 Critical Pedagogy 65 Afrocentricity 66 CRF and Afrocentricity 67 Social Ostracism 68 Race in America 70 Race as a Social Construct 72 Identity Formation 75 Acculturation, Assimilation, and Identity Formation 76 Chapter Summary 78 References 79 4 Ethiopian Immigrants in the U.S.: Research Context and Participants 86 Ethiopian Women: Social Context and the Study 86 Research Context 87 Sample Selection 90 Data Collection 90 Data Analysis 91 Validity and Reliability 92 Participant Profiles 93 Aster 93 Mary 95 Abena 96 Afia 98 Liya 100 Chapter Summary 102 References 102 5 Immigrant Identity in the U.S.: Black But Immigrant 104 Maintaining Ethiopian Traditions/Customs in the U.S. Matters 105 Immigrant and Identity Status in the U.S. 110 Identifying as Ethiopian and Black Versus African American 116 Chapter Summary 121 References 121 6 Black Like Me: Concepts of Africanness, Blackness, and Beauty 124 Afrocentric Standard of Beauty 131 Concepts of Africanness, Blackness, and Beauty 141 Chapter Summary 146 References 147 7 Family, Traditions, and Customs 151 Family-Centered Social Structure 155 Patriarchal Family Structure 158 Family Expectations 160 Summary 165 References 166 8 Gender, School, and Culture: Education and Beyond 168 Feminist Movements 171 Struggle of Independence Versus Family Interdependence as a Woman 175 School Impacts Culture When Isolated 179 Summary 182 References 183 9 Creating a Pathway for the Future: Recommendations and Conclusion 185 Implications 190 Recommendations 192 Recommendations for Policy Makers 192 Recommendations for Educators 194 Recommendations for Community Activists 195 Limitations and Future Research 196 Contributions to the Field 197 References 198 References 202 Index 224