“W.E.B. DuBois famously articulated the challenge of what he termed ‘double consciousness’ – a ‘sense of always looking at one’s self through the eyes of others, of measuring one’s soul by the tape of a world that looks on in amused contempt and pity” (Doucet & Suarez-Orozco, 2006, p.169).
Adolescents are well versed in this “double consciousness,” and I would argue that this probably doesn’t vary much between immigrant and non-immigrant populations.
However, I imagine that non-mainstream students or those 2nd generation students who come from homes that resist American culture face a more frequent struggle to reconcile their various identities.
This is echoed in the other pieces we read this week – Prieto and Lee certainly capture the sentiment well, with students confirming that stereotypes and parental expectations play into their perceptions of self.
While this is a very applicable challenge for adolescents, I would argue that everyone retains some degree of this in adult life. Therefore, as an educator, I think it’s important to raise student awareness to this issue early so it doesn’t become “self-handicapping.” We should introduce the idea of “double consciousness” (again, reducing the silencing in schools) and help students negotiate these identities. By discussing the difficulties these students face, we can help create emotionally-educated students and, later on, adults.
I agree that it would be a wonderful idea to address “double consciousness” in schools. Though this topic doesn’t usually find its way onto the list of silenced conversations in schools, our readings this week and your post really emphasize the importance of naming the very thing that probably every single adolescent struggles with on a daily basis.