Power imbalance and whiteness in faculty-led diasporic academic collaborations: An application of Network Analysis of Qualitative Data

Abstract

We offer insights into the factors impacting faculty-led academic/research collaborations between Mexican scholars employed in the USA and their Mexican colleagues working in Mexico. Founded on the idea that diasporic relationships include people involved in cross-border migrations yet maintaining ties with their homeland, we are referring to these faculty-led collaborations as diasporic. To offer nuanced understandings, data analyzed were obtained from 25 semi-structured interviews exploring collaboration in different professional, institutional, disciplinary, and regional contexts. Relying on Network Analysis of Qualitative Data, we were able to identify the most relevant drivers (e.g., personal relationships, common research interests, and cross-cultural understandings) and deterrents (e.g., political and legal challenges and institutional contexts) of diasporic collaborations influenced by institutional, national, and sociopolitical power dynamics. Our use of diasporic academic collaborations is intended to transcend this study; that is, although our analytic sample is comprised by diasporic Mexican academics, we argue that similar barriers and drivers may apply to academics from other countries who may be interested in participating in diasporic academic collaborations. Accordingly, we invite other researchers to expand this understudied research topic by providing access to our interview protocols and the detailed list of codes used to apply Network Analysis of Qualitative Data.