Reciprocity and Nation Building in Native Women’s Doctoral Education

Abstract:Native students remain largely underrepresented in doctoral education. However, in recent years we have witnessed an increase in participation in graduate education for Native students, particularly for Native women. Reciprocity has been explored as a motivating factor for Native students in undergraduate education, and education has become a necessary component of capacity building in tribal nation building. It seems imperative that we take a closer look at the role of reciprocity in doctoral education as an act of tribal nation building. Utilizing a phenomenological approach, this study explores the experiences of Native women in doctoral education and the varied ways that Native women create pathways to the PhD. An important finding from this study reveals the central role of reciprocity in the motivation and persistence to completion for Native women in doctoral education. Findings indicate that Native women viewed a doctorate as a means for bettering their tribe/community or forwarding a research agenda that would benefit Native people in general. This article seeks to further elucidate the role of reciprocity in the context of nation building through doctoral education.