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Reshaping the training landscape by addressing cultural taxation

Minoritized doctoral students are subject to cultural taxation — disproportionate expectations and obligations based on their race or ethnicity — that negatively impacts their PhD studies. Faculty members and departments should counteract this taxation to support students of colour.

Like every student attending a doctoral psychology program, students of colour attend graduate school to hone their research, teaching and, if applicable, clinical skills. However, ‘taxes’ are often imposed on these students. Cultural taxation — the uncompensated obligations assigned to individuals on the basis of their racial and/or ethnic background and assumed cultural expertise — is a pervasive issue for minoritized scholars1,2.

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Author notes

  1. These authors contributed equally: Adrelys Mateo Santana, Emily N. Satinsky.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA

    Adrelys Mateo Santana & Emily N. Satinsky

  2. Department of Psychology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA

    Chardée A. Galán

Authors

  1. Adrelys Mateo Santana
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  2. Emily N. Satinsky
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  3. Chardée A. Galán
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Adrelys Mateo Santana, Emily N. Satinsky or Chardée A. Galán.

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Mateo Santana, A., Satinsky, E.N. & Galán, C.A. Reshaping the training landscape by addressing cultural taxation.
Nat Rev Psychol (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s44159-023-00264-y

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  • Published: 01 December 2023

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s44159-023-00264-y

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