11/20/2023
CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK
Educational research has been an insightful experience so far. One of the most challenging things that I am currently experiencing with my research is my conceptual framework. Conceptual framework, in a very basic explanation, is to help folx analyze data in a specific way. There are two frameworks that I am interested in right now; the two frameworks are Critical Race Theory (CRT) and Intersectional Feminism.
CRT has five major components within its framework:
1. The notion that racism is ordinary and not aberrational
2. The idea of an interest convergence
3. The social construction of race
4. The idea of storytelling and counter-storytelling
5. The notion that Whites have actually been recipients of civil legislation
The above CRT components are from Nicholas Daniel Hartlep in “Critical Race Theory: An Examination of its Past, Present, and Future Implications”
From the preliminary findings in my research, I believe that the data from my collaborators align with CRT, specifically, component 4, “The idea of storytelling and counter-storytelling”. Storytelling and counter-storytelling allow us to understand what may be harmful to minoritized group that those in the majority are not able to see. I seek to understand and know how Hmong fathers support their daughters in higher education. This is to bring awareness to the community, so the community has a better understanding of what support is and how we can move away from normalized patriarchy support that does harm. To do this, my research is qualitative. Therefore, I must engage in dialogues with my collaborators, and listen to their stories. In Hartlep’s work, he states that “the idea of storytelling comes from its powerful, persuasive, and explanatory ability to unlearn beliefs that are commonly believed to be true” (Hartlep, pg. 10, 2009). Storytelling amplifies the voices of marginalized folx from within a system such as Patriarchy, where power and privilege is held by men, which is believed to help everyone. CRT also acknowledges intersectionality which is the understanding that folx’s lived experiences do not only incorporate a single aspect of their life, rather, an individuals lived experiences incorporates their entire self “race and racism work in concert with and through gender, ethnicity, class, and/or sexuality inequalities/discrimination” (Hartlep, pg. 15, 2009). CRT also has relativistic paradigm: “research study findings to reveal only particular truths which are confined to a single culture, social group, or people” (Hartlep, pg. 13, 2009). This helps amplify minoritized folx’s voices because the experience is unique to that respective person or community, this paradigm does not generalize the experience as one thing that people go through.
While I acknowledge that the data aligns with CRT, I must also recognize that my data aligns with the framework of Intersectional feminism. The term was coined by Kimberlé Williams Crenshaw with respect to how Black Women’s “race and gender interact to shape the multiple dimensions of Black women’s employment experiences” (Duarte, et al., pg. 73, 2023). However, I want to focus on specific components, such as race, support, advocacy, and actions of family. Thus, I feel strongly that CRT is the framework that I will utilize.
MOVING ON
These two are incredible frameworks. My mentor, Dr. Anjela Wong, has advised me that I can use multiple frameworks, and I am not obligated to have just one framework. These conceptual frameworks are very new to me and as I continue to read and understand them, I am positive I will feel much more comfortable with them. In the meantime, I will be using CRT as my conceptual framework for my research, Hmong Patriarchy: Hmong Women’s educational experiences.
WORKS CITED:
PDF.js viewer. (n.d.). https://library.oapen.org/viewer/web/viewer.html?file=%2Fbitstream%2Fhandle%2F20.500.12657%2F62283%2F9781000865127.pdf%3Fsequence&isAllowed=y
Critical race theory 1 running head: Critical race theory - ed. (n.d.). https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED506735.pdf