Faculty Learning at Boundaries to Broker Racial Equity

Abstract

On many college campuses, faculty are being called on to act as change agents for racial equity. Through narrative inquiry analysis using the theoretical constructs of boundary crossing and boundary objects, this case study examined learning among faculty (n = 12) who attempted to broker structural changes at their universities through participation in action research. The findings illustrate that boundary negotiation across the “silos” of academic departments and administrative offices to promote racial equity involves perspective taking (regarding current norms and discourse) and perspective making (about equity as a legitimate institutional goal). These findings contribute to the literature on faculty agency and organizational learning for racial equity in higher education by identifying boundary objects as cultural tools that facilitate faculty learning and agency.