Presumed Incompetent II

foreword by Angela P. Harris

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“This work is a powerful call to action and must read for chief diversity officers, deans, department heads, presidents, and provosts. Building on Presumed Incompetent, these are courageous and bold testimonies of racism, sexism, and bullying faced by Women of Color—who continue to survive and thrive, in spite of it all. The academy can no longer use the excuse of not knowing or understanding the experiences of Women of Color. It now has a responsibility to respond, change, and eliminate these unjust and unfair barriers. Reading this work is an important step for those who consider themselves allies, advocates, and leaders who are committed to inclusive excellence. It is also essential for Women of Color in the academy to know that they are not alone in their experiences and journeys.”
—Menah Pratt-Clarke, Vice President for Strategic Affairs and Diversity, Professor of Education, Virginia Tech

“As a bastion of elites, whiteness is fiercely protected in academia. Institutions claim to ‘value diversity’ yet consistently remain overwhelmingly white. Contrary to the claim that this is a ‘pipeline’ issue, this powerful collection of essays makes visible the daily mechanics of white supremacy and its intersections with class and gender in academic institutions. We cannot address a problem we cannot see. May these eye-opening essays help loosen the grip of whiteness in academia.”
—Robin DiAngelo, author of White Fragility: Why It's So Hard for White People to Talk about Racism

"Presumed Incompetent II leaves a legacy for contemporary women as well as those who had to remain silent in their academic isolation. The voices of stoic, unapologetic, and courageous women who put up and pushed back in the culture of patriarchy can embolden many others. This second book again captures the nuances of intersecting identities for women in the academy and highlights the systemic bias that persists. Their lived experiences need to be shared and honored."
—Patricia Arredondo, American Association of Hispanics in Higher Education

“Presumed Incompetent II offers proof that Women of Color are neither crazy nor alone as we make sense of our experiences in higher education. Each essay calls out and looks squarely in the eye the oppressive structures designed to eradicate our very presence from the academy. Painful, and at times heartbreaking, this text is a testament to the brilliance, creativity, and power of Women of Color—proof that, in spite of it all, ‘still we rise!’”
—Karen L. Dace, Vice Chancellor for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis

"This updated edition is filled with new empirical studies and personal accounts from women of color in academia. Each chapter points out the subtle and not-so-subtle ways that gender, race, class, sexuality, and religion are used to quiet women of color, even in the academy, the supposed palace of the mind. Each study and personal story unflinchingly confronts structural oppression and personal bullying that seek to eradicate women of color from the academy. This work is a call to action and should be read by fellow academics, especially those in positions of power."
—CHOICE

"The authors remind women of color of their agency in enacting resistance to the shenanigans of the academy and in developing ways to hold institutions liable for their actions."
—Teachers College Record 

"Institutional leaders and policy makers can use the wealth of knowledge shared in Presumed Incompetent II to cultivate nurturing work environments that include and value the talent and perspectives of those who have been marginalized. . . . an important collection of essays highlighting challenges to access, survival and success in the academy for women from BIPOC communities.""
LSE Review of Book

The courageous and inspiring personal narratives and empirical studies in Presumed Incompetent II: Race, Class, Power, and Resistance of Women in Academia name formidable obstacles and systemic biases that all women faculty—from diverse intersectional and transnational identities and from tenure track, terminal contract, and administrative positions—encounter in their higher education careers. They provide practical, specific, and insightful guidance to fight back, prevail, and thrive in challenging work environments. This new volume comes at a crucial historical moment as the United States grapples with a resurgence of white supremacy and misogyny at the forefront of our social and political dialogues that continue to permeate the academic world.

Contributors: Marcia Allen Owens, Sarah Amira de la Garza, Sahar Aziz, Jacquelyn Bridgeman, Jamiella Brooks, Lolita Buckner Inniss, Kim Case, Donna Castaneda, Julia Chang, Meredith Clark, Meera Deo, Penelope Espinoza, Yvette Flores, Lynn Fujiwara, Jennifer Gomez, Angela Harris, Dorothy Hines, Rachelle Joplin, Jessica Lavariega Monforti, Cynthia Lee, Yessenia Manzo, Melissa Michelson, Susie E. Nam, Yolanda Flores Niemann, Jodi O’Brien, Amelia Ortega, Laura Padilla, Grace Park, Stacey Patton, Desdamona Rios, Melissa Michal Slocum, Nellie Tran, Rachel Tudor, Pamela Tywman Hoff, Adrien Wing, Jemimah Li Young

Media:
New Books Network
Villanova Law Review