ABSTRACT

This study examined 32 university presidents’ responses to the violence that occurred during and after a ‘Unite the Right’ white supremacist rally in Charlottesville Virginia in August 2017. The purpose of this study was to explore how university presidents provided leadership during this crisis and how they did or did not utilise sensemaking to guide their communities. Findings revealed that presidents’ primary foci were to reassure their communities, express solidarity with those in Charlottesville, review First Amendment rights, and emphasise that their campuses were not places for hatred. Additionally, it was noted that few presidents actually named the victims of the Charlottesville violence or addressed the systemic racism that contributed to the violence.

摘要

这项研究调查了32位大学校长对2017年8月在弗吉尼亚州夏洛茨维尔举行的'团结右翼'白人至上主义集会期间和之后发生的暴力行为的反应。该研究的目的是探讨大学校长如何在此次危机中发挥领导作用，以及如何他们使用或不使用感官指导他们的社区。调查结果表明，总统的主要工作重点是确保自己的社区安心，表示与夏洛茨维尔的居民团结，审查《第一修正案》的权利，并强调他们的校园不是仇恨的场所。此外，据指出，很少有总统实际任命夏洛茨维尔暴力事件的受害者或提及助长暴力事件的系统种族主义。