El Que No Tranza, No Avanza: Exploring the Lived Experiences of Mexican American Community College Students on the U.S.-Mexico Border in Becoming Philosophers
Abstract
The purpose of this phenomenological study is to explore the lived experiences of seven Mexican American community college philosophy students in their journeys to becoming philosophers in the U.S.-Mexico border, between El Paso, Texas, and Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua, Mexico. Philosophy is one of the least diverse academic fields in the United States (Jones, 2020) and often excludes women and people of color (Alcoff, 2013; Ferrer, 2012; Galea, 2017; Haslanger, 2013 Hutchinson & Jenkins, 2013; Leuschner, 2015; Saul, 2012; Wilson, 2012). Therefore, I examine what it means to be a philosopher to these seven Mexican American students and their processes of becoming philosophers in a transnational context between two nations, two cultures, and two languages. I consider the role of language and of their bilingualism through the use of dichos in their philosophical journeys. Additionally, I utilize Critical Race Theory (CRT), (Ladson-Billings et al., 1995; Solórzano, 1998; Solórzano et al., 2000) particularly, Latino Critical Race Theory (LatCrit), Intersectionality, (Crenshaw, 1991, 1993, 2011) and Figured Worlds (Holland et al., 1998; Urrieta, 2007) to analyze their lived experiences and identities. I performed a content analysis of the phenomenological data I gathered through written and oral testimonios, observations of a philosophy club, and interviews. This study has implications for the fields of education and philosophy.
Subject Area
Philosophy|Education|Latin American Studies|Community college education
Recommended Citation
Gomez, Manuela Alejandra, "El Que No Tranza, No Avanza: Exploring the Lived Experiences of Mexican American Community College Students on the U.S.-Mexico Border in Becoming Philosophers" (2023). ETD Collection for University of Texas, El Paso. AAI30490636.
https://scholarworks.utep.edu/dissertations/AAI30490636