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In this comparative project, we analyze three policy documents that have guided genderbased higher education initiatives in Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda. Two research questions guided our work: (1) How do key policy documents conceptualize gender equity? and (2) How is gender equity discussed in relation to economic priorities and sociopolitical realities in each country? To address these questions, we conducted a critical discourse analysis of the following: Kenya's Education and Training Gender Policy in Kenya, Rwanda's Education Sector Strategic Plan 2018/19--022/23, and Uganda's Gender in Education Policy. Corroborating the work of other scholars, we found that all three documents shared (1) an increased commitment to gender equality, (2) persistent underrepresentation of women in higher education despite increased participation of women over time, and (3) markedly low gender parity in STEM disciplines. Our findings are significant because they confirm that there is a disconnect between stated policy goals and actual student outcomes, which limits institutional success and economic development. Additionally, our analysis highlights differences in the strength in commitment to gender equity in policy mandates in these three countries. This is a key issue which warrants further research attention.

Gender disparities in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) faculty composition remain a major issue in U.S. higher education. Specifically, the underrepresentation of women of color has been described as a crisis. We developed the Workplace Climate and Persistence Scale (WCPS) for STEM faculty to assess departmental-level climate factors associated with faculty persistence, using a framework of the intersectionality of gender, race/ethnicity, and socioeconomic background. To validate the WCPS, we conducted analyses for construct validity, internal consistency reliability, and criterion validity evidence using data from 394 STEM faculty at three universities. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses resulted in 43 items loading across nine factors in a good model fit range. The nonlinear SEM reliability coefficients ranged from 0.811 to 0.971, with the overall Omega = 0.991. The correlation matrix indicated that the WCPS differentiates STEM faculty's perceptions by multiple social identities. We expect the WCPS to help administrators identify where to target approaches to improve climate and assess the effectiveness of such interventions.

In this conceptual paper, the authors make the case for why and how researchers can incorporate Black and Indigenous standpoints in higher education scholarship. We begin by drawing parallels between the racialized contexts of higher education for Black and Indigenous communities in the United States (U.S.). Next, we explore ethics of communality among Black immigrant and refugee populations, as well as Indigenous knowledge systems of relationality. We conclude by posing 10 research questions to be taken up by higher education researchers.

Background: Black women students in engineering higher education are underrepresented and often face barriers at the nexus of race, gender, and engineering. When seeking to improve student outcomes, universities often prioritize academic success and neglect psychological, social, and emotional well-being. Little is known about why and how Black women in engineering engage in Black placemaking as they maneuver around barriers. Purpose: The purpose of this study is to establish an empirical understanding of the experiences of Black women in engineering. Our work is guided by the following research questions: (1) Why do Black women in engineering seek out campus spaces specifically designated for them? What unique structural issues necessitate such spaces? (2) For what purposes do Black women in engineering use those distinct spaces? (3) How are Black women in engineering responding to the challenges and structural conditions? Design/Method: We use Black placemaking theory to guide our qualitative in-depth interviews of 45 purposefully selected students. The data were analyzed via theory-informed themes. Results: Major structural conditions necessitate specific Black spaces, including the absence of physical places, failure to understand intersectionality, failure to respond to safety, and cultural stereotypes about Black women in engineering. In response to such barriers, Black women in engineering engage in multiple placemaking activities, thereby seeking out safe and responsive spaces and transforming existing ones to serve multiple functions. Conclusions: Whatever difficulties Black women face in academia, they are intensified in engineering. To confront such barriers, Black women engage with Black placemaking, creatively transforming existing places or co-creating distinct places for themselves. These actions can inform how engineering departments support spaces for minoritized student development.

In this qualitative study, we describe how gender, race, language, and culture cumulatively shape researcher development. Using a collaborative autoethnographic design, we theorize about our experiences as two Black women who conducted their dissertation research in Brazil and Ethiopia. Our data sources include retrospective interviews, journal reflections, and researcher memos. We arrive at four themes that reflect our development as researchers: (a) the importance of a boundary spanner, (b) the power of local knowledge, (c) negotiating the use of local and "international" languages, and (d) researcher assumptions developed due to the perceptions of others. We make sense of these themes using an integrative framework that combines a researcher development model and a conceptualization of Black feminist qualitative inquiry. Our findings have implications for practitioners supporting doctoral students of color and researchers who use Black feminist epistemologies to conduct autoethnographic work. By sharing these themes, we contribute to theory, research, and practice about underrepresented researchers in postsecondary environments, particularly related to the linguistic and cultural aspects of doctoral research.

In Ethiopia, broadening women's participation in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) higher education is an espoused priority of federal policy makers, as government leaders seek to boost infrastructure development and economic growth. Policies are intended to create more inclusive environments for women. Meanwhile, existing models of college student persistence often assume that women articulate their gender as salient. In this qualitative project, I analyze interview data from 14 women who were current students or alumni of STEM programs at public universities in Ethiopia. Drawing primarily from Crenshaw's (1990) theory of intersectionality, I conclude that most participants, especially those from higher socioeconomic and privileged geographic backgrounds, did not describe gender as a salient feature of their higher education experience. I postulate that women negotiate their gender in multiple ways because it is helpful for fitting in within the culture of Ethiopian universities. This agility in dealing with gender suggests that higher education environments are still hostile to women, despite the implementation of federal policies.

The authors present a taxonomy of pedagogical activities that can be used by teacher educators to foster a critical race praxis. The target audience is college- and university-level faculty committed to advancing equity in education. They first review the extant literature about critical consciousness in education. Next, they describe seven activities for more equitable teaching: fishbowl discussion, discussion of race vs. ethnicity, values continuum, discussion and writing communities, analysis of race in education policy, critical race journal, and racial autobiography. Additionally, the authors explain how these activities can be implemented in virtual classrooms in light of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

In this paper, we explore how secondary school students' participation in structured, math- and science-focused programs outside of school is associated with the aspiration to, and actual enrollment in, a STEM major in college. Moreover, we examine how varying sociodemographic backgrounds are related to their participation in these programs. Using expectancy-value theory and social cognitive career theory as our conceptual frameworks, we conduct a path analysis based on a nationally representative panel dataset. Results indicate that students who participate in structured science-focused out-of-school programs in eighth grade are more likely to express an aspiration to and choosing a STEM major in college. The intersection of sociodemographic backgrounds further highlights the intricate differences in math-focused programs participation outside of school between Latinx and White adolescents of varying socioeconomic status.

In this article, Nicole Joseph, Meseret Hailu, and Jamaal Matthews argue that Black girls' oppression in the United States is largely related to the dehumanization of their personhood, which extends to various institutions, including secondary schools and, especially, mathematics classrooms. They contend that one way to engage in educational equity and social-justice-focused education is to teach Black girls in the classroom in a way that is humanizing. With this idea in mind, they explore relationships between Black girls' humanity and mathematics teaching and learning. Using interviews with ten Black adolescent girls representing varying levels of engagement in mathematics and enrolled in middle and high school math courses, the authors argue that inclusive pedagogies can be used to humanize this marginalized student group.

Gendered cultural ideologies limit access to education for girls in Ethiopia. Practices like child marriage, a disproportionate work burden for girls, early pregnancy, and social isolation, inhibit the participation of female students in education. This qualitative study analyzes the influence of Girl Effect (a branding agency supported by international development organizations) in promoting pro-education ideologies for girls in Ethiopia. Document analysis of five data sources--including evaluation reports and audio-visual material--was the method used. The findings of the study demonstrate that Girl Effect used girl-centered research and advocacy to promote investment in girls and women. Moreover, this organization is innovative because it attempted to influence popular media through Yegna, a communication platform and youth-led movement, that presents the Ethiopian public with narratives that challenge existing power structures and encourage the empowerment of women. The Yegna communication platform relies on diverse methods of information delivery--including interactive talk shows, music, and toolkits for starting youth clubs.

Popular media shapes societal perceptions and discourse. The growing use of news media in higher education practices (outreach, admissions, and campus communication) have heightened the need for institutional leadership to not only understand the general impact of popular media but also to comprehend students' representation, as well as the acquisition and dissemination of media content. In this study, authors present a media content analysis of newspaper coverage of the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement in the well-known periodical, the "Chronicle of Higher Education." Ultimately, this study demonstrates (1) organizational leadership can be influenced and disrupted to promote racial justice and (2) the discursive treatment of the BLM in popular media and, and by extension, in the United States' public imagination. Overall, this study suggests that in situations where institutional policies perpetuate racial inequity, BLM student movements have the capacity to complicate existing discourse about Blackness in higher education and catalyze substantial social change.

This qualitative study investigates the behaviors and strategies of effective leadership teams within ethnic community-based organizations (ECBOs) operating in the United States that consist of leaders who are themselves former refugees. Through analysis of four focus group interviews, each with three to five leaders from local Bhutanese, Burundian, Congolese, and Syrian communities, we identified ways in which these leaders exhibit transformational leadership behaviors proposed by established frameworks. Results reveal that effective ECBO leaders exhibit strong transformational leadership qualities, such as empowering community members, modeling behavior, and projecting a community vision. The study emphasizes the unique context of ECBOs and their leaders, showcasing their thoughtfulness, competency, and profound awareness of community members' backgrounds. The implications include recognizing and valuing the skills of ECBO leaders and considering formal support mechanisms. This study contributes insights into the leadership exhibited within local community organizations serving refugee populations—enhancing our understanding of quality leadership among grassroots refugee organizations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Black women students in engineering higher education are underrepresented and often face barriers at the nexus of race, gender, and engineering. When seeking to improve student outcomes, universities often prioritize academic success and neglect psychological, social, and emotional well‐being. Little is known about why and how Black women in engineering engage in Black placemaking as they maneuver around barriers. Purpose: The purpose of this study is to establish an empirical understanding of the experiences of Black women in engineering. Our work is guided by the following research questions: (1) Why do Black women in engineering seek out campus spaces specifically designated for them? What unique structural issues necessitate such spaces? (2) For what purposes do Black women in engineering use those distinct spaces? (3) How are Black women in engineering responding to the challenges and structural conditions? Design/Method: We use Black placemaking theory to guide our qualitative in‐depth interviews of 45 purposefully selected students. The data were analyzed via theory‐informed themes. Results: Major structural conditions necessitate specific Black spaces, including the absence of physical places, failure to understand intersectionality, failure to respond to safety, and cultural stereotypes about Black women in engineering. In response to such barriers, Black women in engineering engage in multiple placemaking activities, thereby seeking out safe and responsive spaces and transforming existing ones to serve multiple functions. Conclusions: Whatever difficulties Black women face in academia, they are intensified in engineering. To confront such barriers, Black women engage with Black placemaking, creatively transforming existing places or co‐creating distinct places for themselves. These actions can inform how engineering departments support spaces for minoritized student development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The article is a review of the book "Degrees of Difference: Reflections of Women of Color on graduate school." The book is a collection of reflective essays written by women of color, providing insights into the challenges, opportunities, and relationships experienced by women of color in graduate education in the United States. The review highlights three major themes found in the book: the challenges faced by women of color graduate students, the opportunities they found in graduate school, and the importance of community-based relationships. The book is praised for its practicality, diverse disciplinary representation, and emphasis on network and community. It is recommended as a valuable resource for women of color graduate students, administrators, and policy stakeholders in higher education. The review suggests that future editions of the book could explore the notion of joy in academic life for women of color. [Extracted from the article]

Previous research finds mass media often frames female members of parliament (FMPs) as novelties, violators, or deviants intruding in a masculine domain. However, most of these studies have focused on a small number of primarily Western nations. Inspired by new research on the normalization of women in politics, intersectionality, and violence against women in politics, this study undertakes a broad examination of how global newspapers represent FMPs to the public. Taking an inductive approach and drawing on a collection of 772 articles drawn from 265 newspapers in 48 countries over thirty years (from 1985 to 2014), we assess how media framed the "female member of parliament" as being violators, virtuous, or victims and whether it made (in)visible their various intersectional identities. We found general support for the normalization thesis, but observed significant differences between Western and non-Western countries and between Asian and African media framing of FMPs as violators, virtuous, or victims. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gendered cultural ideologies limit access to education for girls in Ethiopia. Practices like child marriage, a disproportionate work burden for girls, early pregnancy, and social isolation, inhibit the participation of female students in education. This qualitative study analyzes the influence of Girl Effect (a branding agency supported by international development organizations) in promoting pro-education ideologies for girls in Ethiopia. Document analysis of five data sources—including evaluation reports and audio-visual material—was the method used. The findings of the study demonstrate that Girl Effect used girl-centered research and advocacy to promote investment in girls and women. Moreover, this organization is innovative because it attempted to influence popular media through Yegna, a communication platform and youth-led movement, that presents the Ethiopian public with narratives that challenge existing power structures and encourage the empowerment of women. The Yegna communication platform relies on diverse methods of information delivery—including interactive talk shows, music, and toolkits for starting youth clubs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]