White Scripts In Higher Education: White Administrators Navigating Racial Equity And Inclusion Efforts

Guided by critical theoretical perspectives on race and whiteness, this qualitative study examines the manifestations of racial identity for White higher education administrators and explores their approaches to navigating racial equity and inclusion efforts at their institutions. To illustrate the findings of this study, five composite characters are introduced to illuminate the hidden and unquestioned assumptions and structures that maintain white power and privilege in higher education. These characters, or White Scripts, embody the approaches, moods, and styles of the ten research participants of this study to reveal how White higher education administrators navigate, challenge, and/or reinforce whiteness in higher education. These White Scripts represent the ideological racial scripts that create, control, and recreate whiteness in society and higher education. Consequently, the findings of this study offer insights into the development of anti-racist policies and practices in higher education with the goal of empowering and inspiring White administrators to take action toward racial equity and inclusion efforts at their institutions.