The Perpetual Homelessness of College Experiences: Tensions between Home and Campus for African American Women

There is an ongoing debate about whether African American students need to sever ties with their families to be successful in college. Adding nuance to this debate, this ethnographic study examines African American women’s experiences of navigating family relationships in a predominantly White institution. The women described multiple pressures from their families and on campus, often resulting in a sense of “homelessness,” as if they fit neither on campus nor in their families.