Interrogating Power and Inequality in Developmental Education: A Critical Bourdieuian Perspective

Abstract

This dissertation examines how developmental education, though intended as academic support, can inadvertently reinforce inequality for historically underrepresented students. Specifically, it interrogates how institutional power shapes student experience through practices such as standardized placement testing and narrow definitions of "college readiness." Grounded in Pierre Bourdieu’s theoretical tools of symbolic violence, legitimization and social reproduction, and informed by Paulo Freire’s critical pedagogy, the study critically analyzes how developmental education can marginalize students by reproducing social hierarchies under the guise of meritocracy. Using qualitative document analysis, this project examines institutional policies, state-level reforms, and student support models across multiple sources, including policy reports, archival materials, and academic literature. To humanize the data, the dissertation project presents two composite student profiles: Jack, a first-generation Black student, and Miranda, a Latina single mother. These profiles illustrate how institutional structures affect student agency, self-efficacy, and academic progression. Findings reveal that developmental education often delays degree completion, increases financial burdens, and erodes student confidence, particularly for marginalized students. However, reforms such as corequisite models and multiple measures placement offer promising alternatives by challenging traditional notions of readiness and expanding access. The dissertation concludes with policy recommendations to mitigate inequitable practices and proposes future research to reimagine developmental education as a bridge to success rather than a barrier to equity.