Always Mentioned, Never Seen: Ethnic Identity Development in African American and Biracial Students at a Liberal Arts College
Liberal arts colleges are known for creating quite unique learning environments, where students are intellectually and socially challenged in close-knit campus communities. These schools are often on the forefront of issues on racial diversity and social justice; yet, paradoxically, their campus communities remain severely underrepresentative of racial minorities. As such, students of color face particularly daunting challenges in terms of their identity development and personal growth at these institutions. Using student interviews intertwined with a critique of classic and contemporary identity theory, this study examines the ethnic identity development of African American and Biracial students at a small, predominantly White, liberal arts college. Students' experiences and interactions are evaluated in terms of four components within the campus climate, including (a) racial prejudice and discrimination; (b) peer support networks; (c) faculty and staff support networks; and (d) administrative programs and policies. This study concludes that the majority of participants perceived the campus climate to be hostile towards minorities, and they exhibited subsequent increases in race salience, as evidenced through their descriptions of their personal identities, social interactions, and on-campus activities. Although the preliminary findings cannot yet be generalized, this research has policy implications for the single institution involved.
School:
Beloit College
Department:
Social Sciences
Research Advisor:
James D. Anderson
Department of Research Advisor:
Educational Policy Studies
Year of Publication:
2007