Negotiating Racial Dissonance: White Women’s Narratives of Resistance, Engagement, and Transformative Action

Abstract

The purpose of this narrative study was to deconstruct racial identity performance among White women in higher education and student affairs (HESA) graduate preparation programs through an analysis of responses to racial dissonance. Responses included resistance (denial of White privilege), engagement (seeking more knowledge), and transformative action (activism and educating others). Participants also responded with strategies that blended resistance, engagement, and transformative action. Discussion focuses on White women’s responses to racial dissonance as a collective performance of whiteness, offering implications for HESA graduate preparation programs as well as for theory and research.