Community Colleges as Cultural Texts: Qualitative Explorations of Organizational and Student CultureKathleen M. Shaw, James R. Valadez, Robert A. Rhoads Community colleges are positioned to play a critical role in the process of upward mobility in American society. Yet despite the open door accessibility of these institutions, the question remains as to whether or not community colleges enhance the social mobility of working class and minority students. The contradictory and often paradoxical nature of research on community colleges suggests that making generalizations about the sector as a whole is perhaps misguided. This book takes an important step toward developing a more nuanced understanding of the rich and varied cultures inherent in community colleges. The contributors approach this task by examining community colleges as cultural texts, using critical qualitative frameworks to address the question of whether, and how, community colleges confront the challenges of diversity and provide real opportunities for upward mobility. [Contributors include Marilyn Amey, Eusebio Diaz, Stanford T. Goto, Berta Vigil Laden, Dennis McGrath, Laura I. Rendón, Robert A. Rhoads, Kathleen M. Shaw, Armando Trujillo, James R. Valadez, and Bill Van Buskirk.] |
Contents
Community Colleges as Cultural Texts A Conceptual Overview KATHLEEN M SHAW ROBERT A RHOADS and JAMES R VALADEZ | 1 |
Cultures of Support for AtRisk Students The Role of Social and Emotional Capital in the Educational Experiences of Women DENNIS McGRATH a... | 15 |
The Struggle for Mobility in the Contact Zone of Basic Writing STANFORD T GOTO | 39 |
Navigating the Raging River Reconciling Issues of Identity Inclusion and Administrative Practice MARILYN J AMEY | 59 |
Preparing for Work in a PostIndustrial World Resistance and Compliance to the Ideological Messages of a Community College JAMES R VALADEZ | 83 |
The Politics of Culture and Identity Contrasting Images of Multiculturalism and Monoculturalism ROBERT A RHOADS | 103 |
Be a Name Not a Number The Role of Cultural and Social Capital in the Transfer Process ARMANDO TRUJILLO and EUSEBIO DIAZ | 125 |
Defining the Self Constructions of Identity in Community College Students KATHLEEN M SHAW | 153 |
Celebratory Socialization of Culturally Diverse Students Through Academic Programs and Support Services BERTA VIGIL LADEN | 173 |
Toward a New Vision of the Multicultural Community College for the Next Century LAURA I RENDON | 195 |
Contributors | 205 |
207 | |
Frontiers in Education | 211 |
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