The following set of ideas is presented to help Black students prepare their minds, protect their bodies, and guard their spirits while navigating criminology & criminal justice doctoral life.
Mind: getting through the literature
The first few years are all about learning the foundational information of the field. This process of indoctrination can be traumatic for Black students who may be unprepared for the interrogation of concepts like biological theories of crime or labeling theory that can hit closer to home than for other students. We are taught to be objective, to shelve our personal selves in exchange for the academic exploration of human behavior. For Black people, this concept may be easier in theory than in practice, as academia has continued to essentialize and “other” our presence.
So, what do you do about it? One strategy I recommend is to unburden yourself from the expectation that it is your sole job to contribute to the perception of Black people in the field of criminology. You are not obligated to add to the scholarship of race and crime simply because you are Black. You deserve the freedom to contribute to any realm of criminological study; and if you choose to do it for the culture, fantastic. Any avenue you pursue will directly contribute to the cadre of information shaping the field (see Cooper & Henderson, 2021). Reading the literature as an educational endeavor and not as an explanation of the behavior of people who share your racial identity will lighten the burden of learning. In other words, try not to personalize the literature. It can weigh heavy on the hearts and minds of Black people. You may feel the need to defend or explain gaps in the scholarly explanations that seem to miss the mark according to your lived experience. But don’t feel obligated to speak out on behalf of your entire race; you can honor your insights that challenge the canon in your writing.
Remember, you did not enter this field to be a spokesperson. You chose it with the ambition to share your unique point of view, to add your brick to the growing landscape. And you are worthy of the privilege and prestige of learning how to consume and eventually create knowledge without any additional expectations of your intellect.
Body: navigating hypervisibility
Generally, being Black in higher education is fraught with pros and cons. It is an outward nod to your hard work and accomplishments to be sitting where you are today. Congratulations! However, the reality of being Black in the U.S. is not mitigated because you are pursuing a doctorate. You may experience hardship managing a class of undergraduate students who do not see you as a person carrying authority, or you may be unjustly hassled by your campus police who view you as out of place on your campus (Cooper et. al, 2019). No matter the instance of aggression you endure, racially motivated or otherwise, it is vital to know the resources available at your institution to act if and when you want to. Identify the appropriate channels to guide you through a strategy that you can customize to suit your style of conflict resolution. To cope with hypervisibility, I suggest finding a community of people who are willing to help you through the ambiguity of doctoral life. It is helpful to have a social outlet outside of the university body, folks that have zero connection to your Ph.D. life but make you feel seen in ways that may not feel possible in school. Join a sports club, a religious group, a meetup, or a social club with folks who can hold space for your pure, unadulterated self, and where you can exist without explaining certain aspects of your being. Your social wellness is integral to your academic success. You may not have a lot of time to spend socializing and that’s ok; it’s the quality rather than the quantity of engagement that will feed your soul.
Spirit: using your voice
Academia is about meaning making and the doctoral process is a crossing of the burning sands into a career of knowledge creation. This “pledging” process can make you question the impact or value of your contribution. Resist the urge to recoil instead find a little more freedom to speak and be heard. Make sure to get a lay of the land academically and socially and seek out the truth-tellers. Search for the scholarly voices that support your ideas and nestle your work alongside theirs. Attend conferences, reach out to academics whose work resonates with you, find kindred spirits in fellow thinkers, and use your voice for good trouble.
Closing thoughts
Your voice is necessary, and if you choose to engage criminology with a lens on the culture, do it unapologetically. Fully embrace and share your boundaries with others. Only accept the extra labor that you want to do if it serves your needs and goals and if it is fulfilling to your personally crafted legacy. We are not an unlimited resource, and doctoral programs are an unmatched test of time management skills, so be stingy with your “yes” and nimble with your “no thank you”. Develop a recipe that makes sense for your scholarly goals and adhere to the rubric you have outlined for how you choose to spend your time. And remember, although it may often feel like it, you are not alone in your academic venture. Find and maintain your community.
Referenced
Cooper, M.N., Henderson, H. (2021). Where is the Black Criminologist? The Criminologist. 46(4). 1-6.
Cooper M.N., Updegrove, A.H., Bouffard, J.A. (2019) Predictors of Criminal Justice Undergraduates’ Intentions to Pursue Graduate Education in Criminology or Criminal Justice, Journal of Criminal Justice Education, 30:1, 46-70, DOI: 10.1080/10511253.2018.1448096