Racial microaggressions in social work education: Black students’ encounters in a predominantly White institution

Abstract

ABSTRACTResearch findings have substantiated encounters with racial microaggressions by Black students in predominantly White institutions. Yet no studies focus on students in social work programs. This is important since racial microaggressions can affect students’ academic, social, and emotional experiences, as well as career preparation of counseling students. In this study we examined encounters reported by 10 Black Master of Social Work students. We present an in-depth case example as support for the emergence of a Racial Microaggressions Interaction Framework, demonstrating how students define racial microaggressions and the socioemotional continuum along which they proceed following encounters. Implications are discussed for teaching from a culturally relevant competence perspective.