Counter-Narratives of Latino Men and Machismo in Higher Education

Abstract

This dissertation study addresses the gaps in research concerning the gendered experiences of successful Latino men in higher education. As Latino men in postsecondary education continue to enroll and persist in low numbers, new lenses are needed to consider their educational experiences. This study attempts to add a gendered lens, in the form of machismo, to consider ways in which successful Latino men are persisting. Machismo, a construct with both positive and negative attributes, has the potential to influence Latino men's navigation of higher education. Research documents the negative ways in which machismo has hampered Latino men in education, however few studies consider how Latino men define and negotiate machismo in higher education. Therefore, this critical qualitative study challenges this framework and has successful Latino men defining their relationship with machismo. The data reveals that participants have a complicated relationship with machismo and masculinity, which illustrates a more holistic understanding of machismo. Participants discussed the barriers and benefits associated with both machismo and masculinity. Their counter-narratives illustrate an intimate relationship between their socialization as Latino men and their achievement of success in higher education.