Description: Uncovering the complex ways that first-generation students sort themselves and are sorted into very different college worlds, Benson and Lee show that these experiences are deeply shaped by organizational practices and vary by class, race, and gender with both immediate and long-term implications for climbing the socioeconomic ladder.
Review Quotes: "Geographies of Campus Inequality is another great example of empirical work that needs to be taken seriously if selective colleges really want to better meet the needs of a diverse group of first-generation college students." -- Laura Nichols, Santa Clara University, The American Journal of Sociology
"This book shines when it demonstrates that "first-generation status is an intersectional category, more or less meaningful for individual students, and intertwined with other identities such as race, gender, and income" (p. 173). We see that without accounting for intersecting identities, the FG [First Generation] category could end up accounting for no students' experiences or outcomes. The observation that organizational structures shape the possibilities for how students will perceive and navigate college is an important one. That is, what it means to be FG, in terms of experiences, perceptions, and outcomes, comes not only from the students themselves, but also is "based on the available social world, the dominant social structure, and the ways in which they have been invited into campus with particular opportunities and resources" (p. 169)." -- Tina Wildhagen, Smith College, Contemporary Sociology"Overall, Geographies of Campus Inequality is an excellent resource reviewing the intersections of first-generation students' identities, backgrounds, and experiences, particularly within the lesser-reviewed area of selective-admission institutions. While this work focuses on selective institutions, there remains broad applicability to other types of institutions of higher education as well. The "geographies" construct is very useful in making sense of the diversity within the first-generation cohort. The care that Benson and Lee take to approach first-generation experiences from an institution-first perspective instead of a student-deficit-oriented perspective is refreshing, providing realistic and concrete recommendations that institutions may consider in their recruitment and education of first-generation and low-income students." -- Teachers College Record"This thoroughgoing analysis should be of considerable value to college counseling personnel hoping to better serve their resident students and promote more enhanced adjustments at their colleges." -- CHOICE"For far too long, researchers have painted the first-generation college student experience with a single brush. Benson and Lee correct this view, revealing the varied ways that first-generation students navigate college. This book is rigorous, engaging, and a must-read for anyone interested in how class plays out on campus." -- Jessi Streib, Assistant Professor of Sociology, Duke University and author of Privilege Lost and The Power of the Past"This book aims to complicate readers' understandings of first-generation college students and their typical campus experiences. The authors accomplish this by highlighting the intersections of race, ethnicity, and gender among these students as they navigate divergent campus geographies. This book is essential reading for anyone interested in understanding and ameliorating inequality among undergraduates at selective post-secondary institutions."--Rachelle J. Brunn-Bevel, Associate Professor, Fairfield University, Editor of Intersectionality and Higher Education: Identity and Inequality on College Campuses and Intersectionality in Educational Research