WOKE LIKE ME: EXPERIENCES AND EXPECTATIONS OF WOKENESS AMONG COLLEGE STUDENTS

Abstract

Woke, generally referring to awareness of social issues, has become commonplace language in American popular and political cultures. The lengthy and culturally embedded history of wokeness, and its implications for higher education reveal that this is not merely a fad. Using the framework of critical consciousness and intersectionality, the purpose of this thesis is to gain an understanding of the meaning of woke as understood by college students who identify as such, and to explore associated intra-group expectations and experiences. Five themes emerged describing how participants came to understand wokeness as a series of expectations through an internal process heavily facilitated by engagement with others. Students were willing to engage outside of their woke communities, but only so far, and often held different expectations for themselves than others.