Revolutionary Petunias in the Hallways: Adultification, Identity, and Black Girls’ High School Experiences

Author

• Renee Niles, CUNY Graduate CenterFollow

Date of Degree

6-2026

Document Type

Master's Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts

Program

Liberal Studies

Advisor

Juan Battle

Committee Members

Elizabeth Macaulay

Subject Categories

Africana Studies

Keywords

Adultification, Constructivist Grounded Theory, Revolutionary Petunias, Black Girls, Developmental Governance, Epistemic Adultification

Abstract

This thesis examines how adultification, the racialized misperception of Black girls as more mature, responsible, and self-sufficient, shapes high school experiences and identity development. Using Constructivist Grounded Theory and Black feminist epistemology, the study draws on interviews with eight Black women to explore how these experiences are interpreted over time. The study conceptualizes adultification as a form of developmental governance, an ongoing structural process that regulates perception, behavior, and identity from adolescence into adulthood.

Recommended Citation

Niles, Renee, "Revolutionary Petunias in the Hallways: Adultification, Identity, and Black Girls’ High School Experiences" (2026). CUNY Academic Works.
https://academicworks.cuny.edu/gc_etds/6633