EXAMINING BARRIERS TO COLLEGE ENROLLMENT AS EXPERIENCED BY SAMOAN MEN LIVING IN HAWAI’I

Item Summary

Title:	EXAMINING BARRIERS TO COLLEGE ENROLLMENT AS EXPERIENCED BY SAMOAN MEN LIVING IN HAWAI’I
Authors:	Peterson, Diena
Contributors:	Bergstrom, Dr. Kelly (advisor) Communication (department)
Keywords:	Communication
Date Issued:	2020
Publisher:	University of Hawai'i at Manoa
Abstract:	ABSTRACT To date, Samoan men remain underrepresented in college classrooms. In this thesis I examine the factors that may be preventing Samoan men from attending college, which in turn, leaves them shut out of particular job opportunities. Using a grounded theory approach, I conducted fourteen semi-structured interviews with Samoan men living in Kalihi. Through these interviews, I was able to learn more about the specific barriers that prevented them from going on to higher education. My findings suggest that family remains deeply important, and that a responsibility for caring for one’s parents and elders can be directly at odds with going on to post-secondary studies. Furthermore, longstanding cultural biases and stereotypes held about Samoan men causes some to internalize the idea that college is not something ‘for’ them. Taken together, my findings offer up an important look into the interpersonal, cultural, and structural barriers that make it difficult for this demographic to go on to college providing an important ground upon which further interventionist studies can be built.
Pages/Duration:	54 pages
URI:	http://hdl.handle.net/10125/73323
Rights:	All UHM dissertations and theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from this source for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission from the copyright owner.
Appears in Collections:	M.A. - Communication

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