College Students or Criminals? A Postcolonial Geographic Analysis of the Social Field of Whiteness at an Urban Community College Branch Campus and Suburban Main Campus

Abstract

Objective: This study illustrates how external factors of urban and suburban racializations contribute to criminalization and surveillance of an urban community college campus and bus shelters surrounding it. Method: A postcolonial geographic research design is used to analyze geographic and qualitative data. Results: Results show that an urban branch and suburban main community college campus reflect a social field of Whiteness in which the geographic location and external campus are part of the habitus of White racism. Conclusion: We conclude that although community colleges have traditionally provided open admissions to marginalized students, the location and context of racialization at college branch and main campuses align with residential segregation and criminalization of residents and students of color.