Latinas In The Figured World Of Economics: Constructing Identity And Agency

Women's endeavors to enhance their numbers, visibility, and presence in economics are a significant topic of discussion in the field of economics. While it has long been documented that women are outnumbered in economics, there was almost no research on Latinas: only on White women. Using a theoretical framework of identity and agency in cultural worlds, this qualitative study aimed to understand how Latinas who graduated with master's degrees from three universities along the U.S.-Mexico border constructed their identities and positioned themselves as economists. Ten Latinas who graduated between 2002 and 2022 from the Paso del Norte regional universities were interviewed for this study. Research findings were that 1) Latinas' positional identities as economists were shaped by socioeconomic factors, 2) Latinas' self-authored themselves through their agentic practices and activities, and 3) Latinas' figurative identities as economists were shaped through dialogic processes. This study explored the structural and cultural supports or barriers they experienced in pursuing their professions as economists and how they positioned themselves after graduation. This study attempts to bring to light and analyze stories that are largely absent from the conversation and research about women in economics.