Understanding the African-American student experience in higher education through a relational dialectics perspective

In this study, we sought to understand African-American students\u27 higher-education experiences in predominantly White universities. We utilized Baxter\u27s relational dialectics theory to study components of focus-group discussions in order to understand the discourse and meaning-making process of participants. Our findings provide insight into the intercultural context of higher education in America and suggest strategies for maintaining the relationship between African-American students and the institutions in which they are enrolled