College of Education

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Adrienne Dixson

Key Professional Appointments

  • Professor, Gender and Women's Studies, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
  • Adjunct Research Professor, Education Policy, Organization and Leadership, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
  • Editorial activity, Women, Gender, and Families of Color (Journal), 2015 - present
Awards, Honors, Associations

AERA Fellow, American Educational Research Association, 2021

Derrick A. Bell Legacy Award, Critical Race Studies in Education Association, 2015

Research & Service

My primary research interest focuses on how issues of race, class and gender intersect and impact educational equity in urban schooling contexts. I locate my research within two theoretical frameworks: Critical Race Theory and Black feminist theories.

Publications

Dixson, A. D., & Hunter, J. D. (2022). "JUMP AT DA SUN": Black feminist influences on social justice pedagogy1. In Social Justice Pedagogy Across the Curriculum: The Practice of Freedom (pp. 181-199). Taylor and Francis.  link >

Dixson, A. D. (2021). But Be Ye Doers of the Word: Moving beyond Performative Professional Development on Culturally Relevant Pedagogy. Educational Forum, 85(4), 355-363.  link >

Dixson, A. D., Royal, C., & Henry, K. L. (2021). School reform and school choice. In Handbook of Urban Education (pp. 120-147). Taylor and Francis.  link >

Ladson-Billings, G., & Dixson, A. (2021). Put some respect on the theory: Confronting distortions of culturally relevant pedagogy. In Whitewashed Critical Perspectives: Restoring the Edge to Edgy Ideas (pp. 122-137). Taylor and Francis Inc..

Lynn, M., & Dixson, A. D. (Eds.) (2021). Handbook of Critical Race Theory in Education. (2 ed.) Routledge.  link >

Lynn, M., & Dixson, A. D. (2021). Introduction. In M. Lynn, & A. D. Dixson (Eds.), Handbook of Critical Race Theory in Education (2 ed., pp. 1-5). Routledge.  link >

Suarez, C. E., Owens, D. R., Hunter, J. D., Menzies, C., & Dixson, A. D. (2021). SquadGoals: Intersectionality, Mentorship, and Women of Color in the Academy. In M. Lynn, & A. D. Dixson (Eds.), Handbook of Critical Race Theory in Education (2 ed., pp. 93-107). Routledge.  link >

Dixson, A. D., Ladson-Billings, G., Suarez, C. E., Trent, W. T., & Anderson, J. D. (Eds.) (2020). Condition or Process? Researching Race in Education. American Educational Research Association.

Dixson, A. D., James-Gallaway, C., Cardenas, N. D., & Perkins-williams, R. (2019). Critical Perspectives on School Choice. In M. Berends, A. Primus, & M. G. Springer (Eds.), Handbook of Research on School Choice (pp. 73-86). Routledge.  link >

Dixson, A. D., Gillborn, D., Ladson-Billings, G., Parker, L. J., Rollock, N., & Warmington, P. (Eds.) (2018). Critical Race Theory in Education. (Major Themes in Education). Routledge.

Dixson, A. D., James, A., & Frieson, B. L. (2018). Taking it to the Streets: Critical Race Theory, Participatory Research and Social Justice. In J. T. DeCuir-Gunby, T. K. Chapman, & P. A. Schutz (Eds.), Understanding Critical Race Research Methods and Methodologies: Lessons from the Field (pp. 64-75). Routledge.  link >

Dixson, A. D. (2018). “What’s Going On?”: A Critical Race Theory Perspective on Black Lives Matter and Activism in Education. Urban Education, 53(2), 231-247.  link >

Dixson, A. D., & Rousseau Anderson, C. (2018). Where are We? Critical Race Theory in Education 20 Years Later. Peabody Journal of Education, 93(1), 121-131.  link >

Donnor, J. K., Rousseau Anderson, C., & Dixson, A. D. (2018). The More Things Change the More They Stay the Same: Race, Education, and Critical Race Theory After 20 Years: An Appraisal. Peabody Journal of Education, 93(1), 1-4.  link >

Dixson, A. D., & Ladson-Billings, G. (2017). Harambee: Pulling It All Together. Teachers College Record, 119(1).

Anderson, C. R., & Dixson, A. D. (2016). Down by the Riverside: A CRT Perspective on Education Reform in Two River Cities. Urban Education, 51(4), 363-389.  link >

Dixson, A. D., & Rousseau-Anderson, C. K. (2016). And We Are STILL Not Saved: 20 Years of CRT and Education. In A. D. Dixson, C. K. Rousseau Anderson, & J. K. Donnor (Eds.), Critical Race Theory in Education: All God's Children Got a Song Routledge Taylor & Francis.  link >

Dixson, A. D., & Rollock, N. (2016). Critical Race Theory. In N. A. Naples (Ed.), The Wiley Blackwell Encyclopedia of Gender and Sexuality Studies Wiley-Blackwell.  link >

Dixson, A. D., Rousseau-Anderson, C. K., & Donnor, J. K. (Eds.) (2016). Critical Race Theory in Education: All God's Children Got a Song. (2 ed.) Routledge.  link >

Dixson, A. D., & Rousseau-Anderson, C. K. (2016). Introduction: Critical Race Theory and Education: Singing a “New” Song. In A. D. Dixson, C. K. Rousseau Anderson, & J. K. Donnor (Eds.), Critical Race Theory in Education: All God's Children Got a Song Routledge Taylor & Francis.  link >

Dixson, A. D., & Rousseau-Anderson, C. K. (2016). The First Day of School: 57A CRT Story. In A. D. Dixson, C. K. Rousseau Anderson, & J. K. Donnor (Eds.), Critical Race Theory in Education: All God's Children Got a Song Routledge Taylor & Francis.  link >

Dixson, A. D., Clayton, D. M., Peoples, L. Q., & Reynolds, R. (2016). The Impact of Racism on Education and the Educational Experiences of Students of Color. In A. N. Alvarez, C. T. H. Liang, & H. A. Neville (Eds.), The Cost of Racism for People of Color: Contextualizing Experiences of Discrimination (pp. 189-201). American Psychological Association.  link >

Donnor, J. K., Dixson, A. D., & Anderson, C. R. (2016). Introduction to the Special Issue: Sankofa—Looking Back to Move Forward in Critical Race Theory and Education. Urban Education, 51(3), 251-252.  link >

Dumas, M. J., Dixson, A. D., & Mayorga, E. (2016). Educational Policy and the Cultural Politics of Race: Introduction to the Special Issue. Educational Policy, 30(1), 3-12.  link >

Henry, K. L., & Dixson, A. D. (2016). “Locking the Door Before We Got the Keys”: Racial Realities of the Charter School Authorization Process in Post-Katrina New Orleans. Educational Policy, 30(1), 218-240.  link >

Dixson, A. D., Buras, K. L., & Jeffers, E. K. (2015). The Color of Reform: Race, Education Reform, and Charter Schools in Post-Katrina New Orleans. Qualitative Inquiry, 21(3), 288-299.  link >

Dixson, A. D., Donnor, J. K., & Reynolds, R. E. (2015). Why the post-racial is still racial: Understanding the relationship between race and education. Teachers College Record, 117(14), 1-4.

Dixson, A. D. (2015). Yes, we did? Educational equity in a new post-racial society. Teachers College Record, 117(14), 171-184.

Stovall, D., & Dixson, A. D. (2015). The Waters Stay Troubled: A Dialogue on Race, Education, Researcher Accountability and Black Political Struggle in the Aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Souls, 17(3-4), 162-174.  link >

Conrad, C., Dixson, A. D., & Sloan Green, C. T. (2014). A discussion on gender equity and women of color. Frontiers, 35(3), 3-14.  link >

Dixson, A. D., & Dodo Seriki, V. (2014). Intersectionality and Pedagogy: Teachers and the Quandry of Race, Class, and Culturally Relevant Pedagogy. In A. D. Dixson (Ed.), Researching Race in Education: Policy, Practice, and Qualitative Research (pp. 185-218). (Education Policy in Practice: Critical Cultural Studies). Information Age Publishing Inc..

Dixson, A. D. (2014). Introduction. In A. D. Dixson (Ed.), Researching Race in Education: Policy, Practice, and Qualitative Research (pp. xv-xxii). (Education Policy in Practice: Critical Cultural Studies). Information Age Publishing Inc..

Dixson, A. D. (Ed.) (2014). Researching Race in Education: Policy, Practice and Qualitative Research. (Education Policy in Practice: Critical Cultural Studies). Information Age Publishing Inc.

Chapman, T. K., Dixson, A. D., Gillborn, D., & Ladson-Billings, G. (2013). Critical Race Theory. In B. J. Irby, G. H. Brown, R. Lara-Alecio, & S. Jackson (Eds.), The Handbook of Educational Theories (pp. 1019-1026). Information Age Publishing Inc..

Cook, D. A., & Dixson, A. D. (2013). Writing critical race theory and method: A composite counterstory on the experiences of black teachers in New Orleans post-Katrina. International Journal of Qualitative Studies in Education, 26(10), 1238-1258.  link >

Dixson, A. D., & Lynn, M. (2013). Introduction. In M. Lynn, & A. D. Dixson (Eds.), Handbook of Critical Race Theory in Education (pp. 1-6). Routledge.  link >

Dixson, A. D., & Seriki, V. D. (2013). Positional and identity-based theories of research. In A. A. Trainor, & E. Graue (Eds.), Reviewing Qualitative Research in the Social Sciences (pp. 211-219). Routledge.  link >

Dixson, A. D., Royal, C., & Henry, K. L. (2013). School Reform and School Choice. In H. R. Milner IV, & K. Lomotey (Eds.), Handbook of Urban Education (pp. 474-503). Routledge.  link >

Donnor, J. K., & Dixson, A. D. (2013). Introduction. In J. K. Donnor, & A. Dixson (Eds.), The Resegregation of Schools: Education and Race in the Twenty-First Century (pp. xxv-xxvi). Routledge.

Donnor, J. K., & Dixson, A. D. (2013). The Resegregation of Schools: Education and Race in the Twenty-First Century. (Routledge Research in Education). Routledge.  link >

Hopson, R. K., & Dixson, A. D. (2013). Guest Introduction: Intersections, theories, and meanings of race, racism, and educational ethnography. In R. K. Hopson, & A. D. Dixson (Eds.), Race, Ethnography and Education Routledge.  link >

Hopson, R. K., & Dixson, A. D. (Eds.) (2013). Race, Ethnography and Education. Routledge.  link >

Lynn, M., & Dixson, A. D. (Eds.) (2013). Handbook of Critical Race Theory in Education. Routledge.  link >

Dixson, A. D. (2012). Straight, No Chaser: Talking About Race and Music Education. In L. K. Thompson, & M. R. Campbell (Eds.), Situating Inquiry: Expanded Venues for Music Education Research (pp. 1-12). (Advances in Music Education Research). Information Age Publishing Inc..

Dixson, A. D. (2011). Democracy now? Race, education, and black self-determination. Teachers College Record, 113(4), 811-830.

Dixson, A. D., Donnor, J. K., & Anderson, C. R. (2011). Introduction to the special issue: The race for educational equity. Teachers College Record, 113(4), 699-702.

Dixson, A. D. (2011). Whose Choice? A Critical Race Perspective on Charter Schools. In C. Johnson (Ed.), The Neoliberal Deluge: Hurricane Katrina, Late Capitalism, and the Remaking of New Orleans (pp. 130-151). University of Minnesota Press.  link >

Hopson, R., & Dixson, A. D. (2011). Intersections, theories, and meanings of race, racism, and educational ethnography. Ethnography and Education, 6(1), 1-7.  link >

Hopson, R. K., & Dixson, A. D. (Eds.) (2011). Race, Ethnography, and Education. Ethnography and Education, 6(1).

Dixson, A. D., & Smith, J. D. (2010). "Jump at Da Sun": Black feminist influences on social justice pedagogy. In T. K. Chapman, & N. Hobbel (Eds.), Social Justice Pedagogy Across the Curriculum: The Practice of Freedom (pp. 104-120). Routledge.  link >

Katz, L., Inan, H. Z., Tyson, C., Dixson, A., & Kang, H. Y. (2010). Professional development for the early learning content social studies standards. International Electronic Journal of Elementary Education, 2(2), 261-286.

Dixson, A. D., & Dingus, J. E. (2008). In search of our mothers' gardens: Black women teachers and professional socialization. Teachers College Record, 110(4), 805-837.

Dixson, A. (2008). "Taming the Beast": Race, Discourse, and Identity in a Middle School Classroom. Counterpoints, 316, 125-147.

Hodge, S. R., Harrison, L., Burden, J. W., & Dixson, A. D. (2008). Brown in Black and White—Then and Now: A question of educating or sporting African American males in America. American Behavioral Scientist, 51(7), 928-952.  link >

Dixson, A., & Bloome, D. (2007). Jazz, Critical Race Theories, and the Discourse Analysis of Literacy Events in Classrooms. Counterpoints, 310, 29-52.

Dixson, A. D., & Dingus, J. E. (2007). Tyranny of the majority: Re-enfranchisement of African-American teacher educators teaching for democracy. International Journal of Qualitative Studies in Education, 20(6), 639-654.  link >

Dixson, A. D., & Dillard, C. B. (2006). Affirming the Will and the Way of the Ancestors: Black Feminist Consciousness and the Search for “Good” [ness] in Qualitative Science. In N. K. Denzin, & M. D. Giardina (Eds.), Qualitative Inquiry and the Conservative Challenge (International Congress of Qualitative Inquiry Series; Vol. 1). Routledge.  link >

Ryan, C. L., & Dixson, A. D. (2006). Review of Research: Rethinking Pedagogy to Re-center Race: Some Reflections. Language Arts, 84(2), 175-183.

Dixson, A. D., & Rousseau, C. K. (2005). And we are still not saved: Critical race theory in education ten years later. Race Ethnicity and Education, 8(1), 7-27.  link >

Dixson, A. D., & Rousseau, C. K. (2005). Editorial. Race Ethnicity and Education, 8(1), 1-5.  link >

Dixson, A. D. (2005). Extending the metaphor: Notions of jazz in portraiture. Qualitative Inquiry, 11(1), 106-137.  link >

Dixson, A. D., Chapman, T. K., & Hill, D. A. (2005). Research as an aesthetic process: Extending the portraiture methodology. Qualitative Inquiry, 11(1), 16-26.  link >

Decuir, J. T., & Dixson, A. D. (2004). “So When It Comes Out, They Aren’t That Surprised That It Is There”: Using Critical Race Theory as a Tool of Analysis of Race and Racism in Education. Educational Researcher, 33(5), 26-31.  link >

Dixson, A. D. (2003). "Let's do this!": Black women teachers' politics and pedagogy. Urban Education, 38(2), 217-235.  link >

Dixson, A. D. (2003). When Race Matters: Examining Race-Conscious Education Policy and Practice. Educational Researcher, 32(8), 39-43.  link >

Courses

EOL 548: Political & Cultural Context of Education (EOL 548) The political and social environment of public education in the United States; analysis of the power structure and its influence on educational policy making at the district level; examination of the evolving roles of state and federal agencies, the courts, private organizations, and interest groups in school governance. Studies the tension between the ideal of a democratically controlled public school system and the growing power of educational experts.

EPOL 412: Politics of Education (EPOL 412) Overview of the political structure and processes through which many of the major issues in education are treated; analyzes nature of the policymaking process in education and discusses the roles of principal participants in the process of educational decision making, but focuses on fundamental recurring issues in education and the ways these issues have been resolved or not resolved by the overall system. Particular attention to the role that both the federal and state judiciary as well as legislative authority have had in shaping educational policy.

EPOL 516: Critical Race Theory and Education (EPOL 516) Same as EPS 531. See EPS 531.

EPOL 532: Researching Race in Education (EPOL 532) This course focuses on the methods and methodology that education researchers engage to research educational equity as it relates to race, racism and racial equity in education. Drawing on the research methods literature in the social sciences, humanities and education, this course is appropriate for graduate students in education, sociology, anthropology, and others who have an interest in research methods, methodology and educational issues.

EPOL 539: Political & Cultural Context of Education (EPOL 539) Same as EOL 548. See EOL 548.

EPS 391: Thesis (EPS 391) Prerequisite: Senior standing.

EPS 423: Politics of Education (EPS 423) Overview of the political structure and processes through which many of the major issues in education are treated; analyzes nature of the policymaking process in education and discusses the roles of principal participants in the process of educational decision making, but focuses on fundamental recurring issues in education and the ways these issues have been resolved or not resolved by the overall system. Particular attention to the role that both the federal and state judiciary as well as legislative authority have had in shaping educational policy. Same as EPOL 412. 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours.

EPS 531: Critical Race Theory and Education (EPS 531) Focuses on critical race theory as a critique of racism and the law in U.S. society and discusses its current applications to education policy and research in K-12 schooling and higher education. Also looks at how critical race theory can be used as a methodological lens for policy analysis and educational research. Same as EPOL 516. 4 graduate hours. No professional credit.