Running Head: THEORY PAPER ONE

Theory Paper #1:

An Examination of Theories by
Yosso, Chickering and Bondi

Ona Fisher
SDAD 5400: Student Dev. Theory, Research & Practice
Professor Erica K. Yamamura
January 27, 2015

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Analysis
Yossos theory of Cultural Wealth relies heavily on Critical Race Theory (CRT) as a
framework from which to understand the levels of cultural capital members of society have due
to their cultural identities. This theory is important to student development because it shows how
our culture has developed to place a higher value on the White experience, therefore viewing
members of the community who are not White as having deficiencies in experience, or cultural
capital. Research, pedagogy and policy should all be reexamined to reflect the ways communities
are judged, so as to take into account the value that these types of capitals have in the experience
of racially marginalized individuals (Yosso, 2005).
In Chickerings theory of Identity Development, students are evaluated on seven vectors
of development (Evans et al., 2010) as well as environmental influences. The seven vectors
evaluate to which extent students are able to develop personally. There are environmental factors,
however, which may have a great effect on the seven vectors of personal development. These
environmental factors impact the personal development through peer interactions, interactions
with faculty and the institution, and interactions with student affairs programs and services.
A study by Stephanie Bondi evaluates whiteness in education to discuss the ways that
students and institutions protect whiteness, which perpetuates racist curriculums, pedagogy,
policies and practices. Based on interviews white students in a student affairs masters program in
an attempt to show how the hegemony of whiteness is still intact even with people who are socalled dedicated to promoting justice and diversity. Bondi uses CRT to examine these interviews
with white students in an effort to show that even well intentioned students still have only a very
small grasp on how to integrate non-white experiences into their view of education; and how to
not allow their view to impede their ability to learn from these diverse perspectives.

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Synthesis
Chickering, Yosso and Bondis theories all include examinations of personal identity
development in which society plays a large role. Although he focuses on seven vectors of
development, Chickering also argues that educational environments exert powerful influences
on student development (Evans et al., 2010). Yosso (2005) also begins the discussion of cultural
wealth by examining how race is a socially constructed idea; therefore the influence of society at
large on racial identity development is huge. A student who identifies as white has been
socialized, however subliminally, to see their perspectives as important because history has
deemed them so (Bondi, 2012). All of these theories show that students identities have been
predominantly defined by what society has shown them is valuable or acceptable or expected of
them.
In addition to personal identity development, by looking at these three theories we can be
critical of the ways American universities educate students and govern themselves. The extent to
which society and culture at large, as well as the educational system as a whole, either validates
or discredits individual experiences based primarily on race is influential on student development
and the perpetuation of racist structures in our American pedagogy. Each of these three theories
can be used to examine the ways in which our institutions of higher learning have been formed
without taking into account the experiences of those who do not identify as white.
However these theories provide strong evidence for the importance of personal identity
development, as well as personal cultural understanding, these theories all focus fairly heavily on
the experiences of white students. Yossos theory of cultural wealth is the closest to achieving a
perspective that is purely for non-white students, however I still think that it discusses a white
identity in a way that creates barriers between white students and students of color. Chickerings

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theory is heavily racially biased in that it does not account for diversity in such areas as race,
gender, ability or sexuality. Bondis theory is obviously focused on white students, so it is not
readily applicable to other races. All of these theories lack a synthesis that would make them
applicable to many different students. In delegating each theory to a certain population, these
theories have still managed to alienate one audience or another based on race. If each explored
more the historical influences on the development of race in our country, they would be more
understandable and accessible to members of the white community and minority communities
alike; potentially creating a more common ground on which we can stand and relate as humans
not just members of a racial class.
Reflection
These theories have shed much light on my multicultural competence and personal
identity development. Working with the knowledge from these theories, I am able to evaluate my
personal multicultural identity, as well as see how my white identity has given me many
privileges in society and education. Many traits that my Mexican-American background have
given me have often felt like things I could not share with my mostly white friends, I did not see
some of these ways I operate in society as valuable, my White background had internally
devalued the cultural capital I have. Until I became more involved in leadership roles on my
undergraduate university campus, I had never examined my personal identity development on as
many levels as Chickering describes. In applying CRT and Yossos theory to my own experience,
I had never realized that looking through a predominantly white lens has shaped many of my
views on the world. This new awareness allows me the ability to be more critical in my
evaluation of the systems present in our society, or government, and our education system to see
who is really benefiting and who is being marginalized.

THEORY PAPER ONE

In the present, I can work from the experiences of white students discussed by Bondi by
being more willing to share my personal cultural experiences and be open to the perspectives of
other students, such as students of color, who may find my comments either offensive or
shortsighted. I believe I can only grow in my multicultural competence if I am willing to be
wrong sometimes in order to learn how I can be more cultural sensitive, and what issues are

areas where tensions run high. I look forward to more multicultural experiences to be highlighted
in situations where I feel the more white perspective should not be the dominant thought.
Through the promotion self-knowledge to students I may be able to help them examine their own
cultural experiences so that they may better be able to see where they may have their own
internalized prejudices, and the value of the diverse experiences of others.
In working with diverse students, the examination of racial identities and levels of
privilege often alienate others while making others feel included. I do not believe that a focus
should be placed on the white perspective, instead I believe we should strive towards allowing
students with more cultural experiences to share those experiences and have them examined for
how they add value to our society and educational systems. Integrating the history of our racist
culture and society into classes across the board is very important; delegating the examination of
the history of racism to only classes specifically about race still marginalizes these conversations
to one classroom and does not integrate these ideas into the larger systems where prejudice is
taught and perpetuated. As student affairs professionals we need to learn where we can highlight
cultural disparities wherever we can in an effort to build a better understanding on the history
and future of race in our country.

References

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Bondi, S. (2012) Students and institutions protecting Whiteness as property: A critical race
theory analysis of student affairs preparation. Journal of Student Affairs Research and
Practice, 49(4), 397-414. doi: 10.1515/jsarp-2012-6381
Evans, N.J., Forney, D.S., & Guido, F. (2010) Student development in college: Theory, research
and practice (2nd edition). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
Yosso, Tara J. (2005) Whose culture has capital? A critical race theory discussion of community
cultural wealth. Race, Ethnicity and Education, 8 (1), 69-91.