The Impact of Cross-Race Mentoring for “Ideal” PhD Careers in Sociology

Spalter-Roth, Roberta; Shin, Jean H.; Mayorova, Olga; White, Patricia E.

doi:10.1080/02732173.2013.836141

Cited by 24 publications

(26 citation statements)

References 34 publications

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“…When it comes to mentoring students of color in higher education, the data are clear. Underrepresented minorities in academia do not receive good mentorship in comparison to their white counterparts (Noy and Ray 2012; Segura et al 2011; Spalter-Roth et al 2013). They are less likely to receive adequate support for their research, be taken seriously as academic scholars, and be included in collaborative projects with faculty and even their white peers.…”

Section: Mentoring: the Good The Bad And The Uglymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In fact, Spalter-Roth et al (2013) explored the impact of cross-race “mentoring” (as defined by dissertation advising) using unobtrusive data to compare post-PhD career outcomes for groups of underrepresented minority and white PhDs in sociology. Their study found that having access during graduate school to both individual, instrumental mentoring and communal, psychosocial mentoring increased the likelihood of minority scholars (participants in the ASA Minority Fellowship Program with PhDs earned between 1997 and 2009) pursuing an “ideal” career trajectory at a research-extensive university.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Graduate Students of Color

Brunsma

Embrick

Shin

2016

Sociology of Race and Ethnicity

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146

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The graduate student experience, for many, can be a time of great stress, insecurity, and uncertainty. Overwhelmingly, studies verify that good mentoring is one of the best indicators of graduate student success. In this literature review, we outline in detail previous research that attest to these experiences, and pay specific attention to the experiences of students of color. In general, our read of the literature suggests that academia, in general, and sociology, in particular, does not do a good job of mentoring graduate students of color. We begin our essay with an overview of graduate student experiences. Next, we discuss the mentoring side of the equation, addressing reasons that might explain variations in how students are mentored in higher education. Finally, we end with some thoughts on what faculty and departments can do to address the inadequate mentoring of graduate students of color.

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Section: Mentoring: the Good The Bad And The Uglymentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Graduate Students of Color

Brunsma

Embrick

Shin

2016

Sociology of Race and Ethnicity

Self Cite

146

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“…As Table indicates, despite the rising number of doctorates and higher degrees in sociology for URM students, their respective proportional representation remained low vis‐à‐vis White students (Spalter‐Roth et al, ; Spalter‐Roth and Erskine, ). That is, for every one African‐American sociology BA recipient, there were three White students; at the MA degree, the ratio was 1 : 4, a gap that widened to 1 : 7 for PhD recipients.…”

Section: Affirmative Action Diversity and The Sociology Academic Pimentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The competitive internal structure of departments complicates the dynamics of inclusion. For instance, racial tension within departments can fester among students if racial‐ethnic minorities are assumed to be getting more financial support and privileges based on identity as opposed to “merit.” At the same time, racial tensions can seethe over perceptions that White students are the preferred mentees by senior White male faculty with extensive networks in Research I universities (Spalter‐Roth et al, ). Perceptions of fairness are contextual and related to the competitive environment in grad school.…”

Section: The Diversity Embrace: Challenges Of Inclusionmentioning

confidence: 99%

From Affirmative Action to Diversity: Critical Reflections on Graduate Education in Sociology

Schneider¹,

Segura²

2014

Sociology Compass

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This article explores the contradictory results of the shift from a race-conscious affirmative action discourse to a broader "diversity embrace" that advocates tolerance, equality, and respect for cultural differences on university campuses. Drawing on critical race theory and research on the practice of affirmative action in organizations, we argue that the diversity embrace subsumes recognition of racialized histories, social relations, and practices in favor of a "color-blind" rhetoric that reinforces negative assumptions about the academic merit and worthiness of underrepresented minority students (URM). Our review of the status and condition of URM graduate students in sociology departments reveals that minority inclusion is part of a larger strategy that emphasizes individual and group differences rather than corrective action for past discrimination. We find that access and inclusion in graduate programs in sociology have been uneven with relatively few departments producing a majority of URM sociology doctorates. The diversity embrace obscures their continual low representation in graduate programs, fosters professionalization practices detrimental to these students, and undermines efforts to create a "critical mass" of faculty of color. Such practices constitute a racial project that preserves White privilege at the individual and institutional levels.

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“…Research 70,71 shows that cross race mentoring, in which the mentor is of the dominant group (i.e., a white man) has a positive influence on career outcomes for underrepresented minorities. Implicit in that result is the fact that that expansive networks yield more opportunity.…”

Section: The Asset Bundle Model: a Conceptual Framework For Decreasinmentioning

confidence: 99%

Perspective

Johnson

Bozeman²

2012

Academic Medicine

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The authors contend that increasing diversity in the scientific pipeline (e.g., academic medicine, science, technology, engineering and mathematics) requires a systematic approach to retain minority high school and college students. Such an approach should focus on the interrelated and multilayered challenges that these students face. The authors fuse an alternative conceptualization of the scientific and technical human capital theoretical framework and the theory of social identity contingencies to offer a conceptual model for targeting the critical areas in which minority students may need additional support in order to continue toward a career in science. Their proposed asset bundles model is grounded in the central premise that making greater progress in recruiting and retaining minorities likely requires institutions to respond simultaneously to various social cues that signal devaluation of certain identities (e.g., gender, race, or socioeconomic status). The authors define “asset bundles” as the specific sets of abilities and resources individuals develop that help them succeed in educational and professional tasks, including but not limited to science and research. The model consists of five asset bundles, each of which is supported in the research literature as a factor relevant to educational achievement and, the authors contend, may lead to improved and sustained diversity: educational endowments, science socialization, network development, family expectations, and material resources. Using this framework, they suggest possible ways of thinking about the task of achieving diversity as well as guideposts for next steps. Finally, they discuss the feasibility of implementing such an approach.

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The Impact of Cross-Race Mentoring for “Ideal” PhD Careers in Sociology

Cited by 24 publications

References 34 publications

Graduate Students of Color

Graduate Students of Color

From Affirmative Action to Diversity: Critical Reflections on Graduate Education in Sociology

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