Institutional response as non-performative: What university communications (don’t) say about movements toward justice

This queer phenomenological study examined institutional statements released in support of undocumented individuals after the Trump administration’s decision to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. We discerned the “template” used when crafting public messages of support for undocumented communities. We suggest that the general template and notable shifts from it are non-performatives (Ahmed, 2012). That is, messages related to DACA convey taking action without requiring the institution to meaningfully do so. We also suggest that these non-performatives are indicative of minority absorption (Ferguson, 2012) in that they are used to quell activism and calls for change.