Complicating Latiné Experiences: Afro-Latiné Students' Perceptions of Campus Climate and Sense of Belonging
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| Title: | Complicating Latiné Experiences: Afro-Latiné Students' Perceptions of Campus Climate and Sense of Belonging |
|---|---|
| Language: | English |
| Authors: | Ishara Casellas Connors (ORCID |
| Source: | Journal of Diversity in Higher Education. 2025 18(1):S374-S389. |
| Availability: | American Psychological Association. Journals Department, 750 First Street NE, Washington, DC 20002. Tel: 800-374-2721; Tel: 202-336-5510; Fax: 202-336-5502; e-mail: order@apa.org; Web site: http://www.apa.org |
| Peer Reviewed: | Y |
| Page Count: | 16 |
| Publication Date: | 2025 |
| Document Type: | Journal Articles Reports - Research |
| Education Level: | Higher Education Postsecondary Education |
| Descriptors: | Hispanic American Students, African American Students, Blacks, Multiracial Persons, Undergraduate Students, Student Attitudes, College Environment, Sense of Belonging, Student Experience, Self Concept, Critical Race Theory, Race, Ethnicity |
| DOI: | 10.1037/dhe0000580 |
| ISSN: | 1938-8926 1938-8934 |
| Abstract: | Latiné students represent nearly a quarter of U.S. undergraduates, yet they are largely underrepresented in higher education institutions. Afro-Latiné students make up an even smaller percentage, one that is unknown due to the ways Afro-Latinidad is measured in most large surveys. Existing research examining the experiences of Latiné students reproduces monolithic notions, obscuring the distinct ethnoracial experiences within the Latiné community. Using survey data from the Student Experience in the Research University, this research explores Afro-Latiné students' perceptions of campus climate and sense of belonging. To strengthen our understanding of Afro-Latiné students' experiences, we tie together three theories that stem from the same conceptual lineage yet contribute unique tenets applicable for this specific population: Latiné critical studies, Black critical studies, and multiracial critical studies. Utilizing a QuantCrit perspective, we are not asserting that Afro-Latinés should be encapsulated in the multiracial population; rather, we consider how a multiplicative framing, often used in multiracial studies, can be generative in the interpretation of Afro-Latiné students' experiences. Our findings indicate that Afro-Latiné and non-Hispanic Black students report similar rates of sense of belonging, while non-Black Latiné students have significantly more positive perceptions of campus climate. The findings speak to the need to disentangle the ethnoracial identities of Latiné students to support the multiplicity of Latiné identities. |
| Abstractor: | As Provided |
| Entry Date: | 2026 |
| Accession Number: | EJ1506208 |
| Database: | ERIC |
| Abstract: | Latiné students represent nearly a quarter of U.S. undergraduates, yet they are largely underrepresented in higher education institutions. Afro-Latiné students make up an even smaller percentage, one that is unknown due to the ways Afro-Latinidad is measured in most large surveys. Existing research examining the experiences of Latiné students reproduces monolithic notions, obscuring the distinct ethnoracial experiences within the Latiné community. Using survey data from the Student Experience in the Research University, this research explores Afro-Latiné students' perceptions of campus climate and sense of belonging. To strengthen our understanding of Afro-Latiné students' experiences, we tie together three theories that stem from the same conceptual lineage yet contribute unique tenets applicable for this specific population: Latiné critical studies, Black critical studies, and multiracial critical studies. Utilizing a QuantCrit perspective, we are not asserting that Afro-Latinés should be encapsulated in the multiracial population; rather, we consider how a multiplicative framing, often used in multiracial studies, can be generative in the interpretation of Afro-Latiné students' experiences. Our findings indicate that Afro-Latiné and non-Hispanic Black students report similar rates of sense of belonging, while non-Black Latiné students have significantly more positive perceptions of campus climate. The findings speak to the need to disentangle the ethnoracial identities of Latiné students to support the multiplicity of Latiné identities. |
|---|---|
| ISSN: | 1938-8926 1938-8934 |
| DOI: | 10.1037/dhe0000580 |
