Who Are Chicanas/os/x, and Why Does the Field of Education Study Them? A Critical Scoping Review of the Literature, 2008–2023

In the 1960s, the term Chicano emerged as an identity of empowerment for Mexicans, Mexican Americans, and others in the United States. While initially widely used, terms like Latinx and Hispanic have become the primary categories in educational research. To better understand who Chicanas/os/x are and why educational researchers continue to study them, this article reviews contemporary, empirical education literature (2008–2023) that explicitly identifies its research participants as Chicanx. Findings reveal a range of variations. Many studies rigidly tie the term to Mexican heritage, while others present it as a political identity that transcends ethnicity. We also found feminist researchers employing the term as a methodological strategy. Here, Chicanx was used as a fragmented and fluid demographic to disrupt Western ontologies and highlight intersectionality. Overall, our review clarifies the contradictory uses of Chicanx, the varied rationales for studying this population, and the enduring woman-of-color feminist politics that keep Chicanx relevant today.