LE3 .A278 2014

2014

Abramson, Zelda

Acadia University

Bachelor of Arts

Honours

Sociology

Sociology

This study assesses the experiences African Nova-Scotian students face in their pursuit of post-secondary education through a case study of African Nova Scotians at Acadia University. Paul Willis’ learning to labour theory, Patricia Hill-Collins’ Black standpoint theory and bell hooks’ theories on race and self-esteem, are used as complementary theoretical frameworks. By conducting four semi-structured interviews, I identified factors that enabled African Nova Scotians students to attend Acadia University. My research found that university attendance was strongly influenced by a parent or parental figure that attended university. The parental figure(s) emphasized the importance of education more than any teacher or their members of the communities from which they hailed. As well, athletics played a significant role in why some African Nova Scotians attended university as it provided added incentive to attend university - financial benefits through scholarships. To address the under-representations of African Nova Scotians in post-secondary education I recommend funding for African Nova Scotian community organizations who aid in African Nova Scotian social and academic support as well as the implementation of a transitional year programme.

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https://scholar.acadiau.ca/islandora/object/theses:1083