The role of a Filipino American student association at a predominantly white institution : a critical ethnography

by Oliveros, Claire

The purpose of this study is to examine the role of a Filipino American college

student organization at a Predominantly White Institution, and uncover elements of the

organization that influence or limit the development of critical consciousness of its

members. This study focuses on the aspect of critical consciousness that shapes “indepth

understanding of the world” and is told from the student perspective. The focus

of this study is on the importance of understanding the impact of social conditions on

Filipina/o Americans in the United States from a historical-materialist perspective, the

importance of higher education in addressing the social conditions of Filipina/o

Americans, and the importance of student organizations in the development of critical

consciousness as a central strategy in addressing the social conditions of Filipina/o

Americans.

The qualitative research design includes the method of critical ethnography to

tell the story of the role of a Filipino student organization through its members and

provides an interpretation of how the members are influenced or limited in developing

their own critical consciousness. The two research questions that guide the study are:

1) what is the role of a Filipino American Student Association at a Predominantly

White Institution? and 2) what elements of the Filipino American Student Association

influence or limit the development of critical consciousness of its members? The data

analysis reveals four major clusters of themes that students give significance to and

include: 1) the role of the Filipino American Student Association; 2) the Filipino

American Student Association programs and activities; 3) Meaning students give to

critical consciousness; and 4) the impact the Filipino American Student Association

has on student identity and consciousness.

The critical ethnography includes unstructured in- depth interviews with four

student leaders, and participation in the programs and activities of the student

organization over eight months in the field. This study is a portrait of the role of the

student organization, and an interpretation of the students’ experiences in developing

their critical consciousness. The site for the study is a mid-size, urban Predominantly

White Institution located in Portland, OR. The study concludes with a discussion of

the interpretation of student experiences within the organization, implications for

student affairs practitioners, and the role of the institution in supporting and enhancing

student development and leadership training opportunities toward creating more

socially just programs for students of color.