Critical Race Feministas: Living and Learning in the Borderlands

This book explores Chicana/o and Latina/o educational experiences through the lenses of Chicana Feminist Theories, Critical Race Theory, and Community Cultural Wealth. It offers a nepantla (a Nahuatl word meaning land in the middle or a borderland of transformation) that transcends disciplinary boundaries and builds bridges between theoretical frameworks to inform activist scholarship in education. The authors highlight how Chicana/o and Latina/o communities' intellectual, cultural, material, social, and emotional resources constitute historically accumulated knowledge, and how this approach can be helpful for looking at the education of other marginalized communities.

Format: Hardback
Length: 192 pages
Publication date: 01 March 2022
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

This book delves into the educational experiences of Chicana/o and Latina/o communities by examining them through the lenses of Chicana Feminist Theories (CFT), Critical Race Theory (CRT), and Community Cultural Wealth (CCW). Each of these frameworks offers valuable insights into the study of Chicana/o and Latina/o education, independently. However, when these approaches are intersected, they form a nepantla, a Nahuatl word meaning "land in the middle or a borderland of transformation." This nepantla represents a hybridity of theoretical frameworks that insists on a deeper exploration of multiple positionalities in education, including the roles of the mind and body, by transcending disciplinary boundaries and forging connections between different theoretical frameworks that inform activist scholarship in education. As such, this nepantla serves as a gateway to new understandings in the field of education, providing theoretical, historical, cultural, political, pedagogical, and experiential knowledge as the means for living and learning in borderlands. While this approach is primarily discussed within the context of Chicana/o and Latina/o education, these perspectives can also be applied to examining the education of other marginalized communities.

The authors of this book emphasize how Chicana/o and Latina/o communities possess a wealth of intellectual, cultural, material, social, and emotional resources that have been accumulated over time. While the field of education is inherently interdisciplinary, historically, there has been a lack of exploration beyond traditional disciplines or theoretical frameworks when studying the education of Chicanas/os and Latinas/os. This often leads to deficit and assimilationist theories of Chicana/o and Latina/o educational attainment.

By employing the interconnected/interdependent lenses of CFT, CRT, and CCW, the authors seek to rectify this imbalance. They highlight how these frameworks provide a rich tapestry of knowledge and insights that can contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of Chicana/o and Latina/o educational experiences.

Chicana Feminist Theories (CFT) focus on the experiences of Chicana women and their struggles for social justice and equality. CFT emphasizes the importance of recognizing the intersectionality of race, class, gender, and sexuality in shaping educational outcomes and provides a framework for analyzing the experiences of Chicana/o students in educational institutions.

Critical Race Theory (CRT) is a framework that examines how race shapes American society and institutions. CRT recognizes the historical and ongoing impact of racism on educational opportunities and outcomes for marginalized communities, including Chicanas/os and Latinas/os. CRT provides a lens for analyzing how race intersects with other social identities.

Community Cultural Wealth (CCW) is a framework that emphasizes the importance of recognizing and valuing the cultural assets and resources of communities. CCW recognizes the cultural capital that exists within communities and the role that culture plays in shaping educational outcomes and experiences. CCW provides a framework for analyzing how culture can be used as a tool for promoting equity and social justice in education.

When these frameworks are intersected, they offer a holistic and comprehensive understanding of Chicana/o and Latina/o educational experiences. The nepantla allows for a deeper exploration of multiple positionalities in education, including the roles of the mind and body, by transcending disciplinary boundaries and building bridges between different theoretical frameworks. This intersectional approach provides a rich tapestry of knowledge and insights that can contribute to a more equitable and just education system for all students, regardless of their background or identity.

In conclusion, this book is a valuable resource for scholars, educators, and activists who are interested in understanding the educational experiences of Chicana/o and Latina/o communities. By examining these experiences through the lenses of CFT, CRT, and CCW, the authors offer a holistic and comprehensive understanding of the complex and multifaceted nature of these communities' educational experiences. The nepantla approach provides a gateway to new understandings in the field of education, offering theoretical, historical, cultural, political, pedagogical, and experiential knowledge as the means for living and learning in borderlands. While this approach is primarily discussed within the context of Chicana/o and Latina/o education, these perspectives can also be applied to examining the education of other marginalized communities.

Dimension: 234 x 156 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780415812184