“Playing Nicely In The Sandbox:” Demystifying Beliefs And Assumptions About Racial Equity In Career Services

Abstract

American colleges and universities seek to provide education and opportunity to their students, and to support a more informed and equitable society. Career education offices in higher education spaces face increasing pressure to lead life and career preparation efforts for a diverse student body. At the same time, as a result of European colonization and its modern structural remnants, significant racial wealth inequality persists around the world and in the United States. Professional associations, such as the National Career Development Association and the National Association of Colleges and Employers, have called on career education offices to address equity in their practice, and to strengthen career engagement and outcomes for marginalized, underrepresented, BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color), first-generation, and limited-income students. Though some research has been conducted on social justice efforts in career services offices around the world, limited scholarly attention has been paid to racial equity. Using a qualitative case study framework, this study sought to demystify beliefs and assumptions about race, racism, and career which shape the practice of equity in career education units. Three aspects of this topic were explored: definitions of equity and racial equity; beliefs, narratives, and assumptions about race, racism, and career; and institutional factors which support equity work in career education units. Two theoretical frameworks were drawn upon in analyzing the data: Color-Blind Racial Ideology (CBRI) and Actor-Network Theory (ANT). Findings suggested that aspects of CBRI may be embedded in the beliefs and assumptions about racial equity in career education, and that non-human actors - such as data platforms and career frameworks - inform understandings of the role of race, racism, and equity in career education. Implications and recommendations for research, policy, and practice are discussed.