Cultural Cliques and Connectors: The Utilization of Participatory Action Research at a Predominantly White Institution to Enhance a Diversity-Focused Peer Leadership Position and its Impact

Abstract

This study utilizes participatory action research (PAR) at a predominantly white institution to empower student peer leaders in diversity-focused positions to make collective programmatic changes to improve the Cultural Connector (CC) position and the impact it creates. Through a two-month PAR study, the voices of diversity-focused student leaders and their supervisors work collaboratively in determining actions that will improve the positions’ impact on the CC as well as the students it engages. The Cultural Connector Research Team (CCRT), consisting of CCs, their supervisors, and myself, provide perspective, analyze data through participatory analysis and determine actions to elicit positive change. We work collaboratively to identify barriers hindering CCs in effort to create eight identifiable actions to produce impact to improve the position. In addition to initiating programmatic changes to the CC position, this study examines the use of PAR as a method to understand better the hegemonic and cultural barriers preventing actions that address institutional intercultural learning in students in a neoliberal university setting. Emerging findings, such as cultural cliques and privileged apathy, present barriers for the CCs and the institution itself. The applications of criticality towards a quasi-connected curriculum of intercultural competency learning in a university and the spatial implications within residence halls further troubles the hegemonic structures at play in a university and questions the degree actions like the ones produced in this study can impact the cultural hierarchy within the university.