Whiteness, marginalization, and exclusion: An analysis of Tongan students’ experiences in U.S. institutions of higher education

Abstract

ABSTRACT Although approximately one-third of adults in the United States hold a bachelor’s degree or higher , these statistics fail to account for the vast discrepancies across racial and ethnic groups. For instance, Tongan students are among the least likely to earn a bachelor’s degree of all major ethnic groups in the United States. Despite entering colleges and universities in high numbers, Tongan students are disproportionality dropping out before earning a degree. As such, this study aimed to uncover how communicative practices within (and around) institutions of higher education marginalize Tongan students and hinder their degree attainment, with a particular focus on the communicative power of whiteness. This study utilized in-depth interviewing and grounded theory analysis. Findings revealed that the discourse of whiteness, and the exclusionary communicative practices that reinforce this discourse, foster a sense of un-belonging for Tongan students in institutions of higher education, which hinders their academic success.