The Evolution of Juan Crow in Higher Education: From Lulac v Richard to the Present
The Race and Ethnic Studies Institute (RESI), in partnership with the Department of Sociology, invites you to attend our upcoming virtual Colloquium on Wednesday, October 13 at 12PM CST. Dr. Isabel Araiza, Associate Professor of Sociology and Coordinator of Mexican American Studies at Texas A&M Corpus Christi, will be presenting a critical look at the higher education opportunities provided to Mexican Americans. Download the Event Flyer.
In 1987, MALDEF filed a class action lawsuit against Texas, asserting that the state denied higher education opportunities to Mexican Americans along the Texas-Mexico border. While the initial jury found Texas guilty, the Texas Supreme Court ruled against the plaintiffs. Rather than perceive the lawsuit as a failure, it is credited with UT and A&M’s expansion into the border region and with compelling the Texas Legislature to pass the South Texas Border Initiative (STBI), providing millions of dollars for nine institutions within the border region. STBI is often hailed as a success—expanding opportunities for Mexican American residents within a region previously referred to as a higher education desert. Closer scrutiny of socio-demographic data for the region and its institutions of higher education suggests that STBI’s accolades are overstated. The inequality between Non-Hispanic Whites and Mexican-origin people persists because the institutional racism and discrimination at the root of the inequality has evolved, becoming more subtle but no less powerful.
Dr. Isabel Araiza earned her Ph.D. from Boston College in 2004. Her areas of specialization include education, aging, and social class and inequality. She is particularly interested in institutions and processes that (re)produce the marginality of Mexican-origin people. Her recent scholarly publications addressed working with vulnerable populations and access to clean water. Dr. Araiza is committed to using her sociological toolkit to positively impact her community and the lives of others.
This event will be hosted virtually on Wednesday, October 13 at 12 PM CST. Join us via Zoom by clicking the following link the day of the event: RESI and Sociology Colloquium Event