Negotiating Racial and Ethnic Identities: Student Leaders of Color in a Predominately White Organization
Year: 2013
Type: dissertation
Abstract: Students of color in predominately white organizations must continuously negotiate their racial and ethnic identity when interacting with others.This negotiation may come in the form of assimilating and adapting or actively challenging mainstream norms, either of which may make it difficult to stay both successful and culturally grounded.Thirteen student leaders of color were interviewed on their experience of navigating a predominately white student organization.This research explores five different behavioral strategies used by the students of color to negotiate their racial and ethnic identity (as well as intersecting identities).The results suggest that students of color espouse various behaviors in order to operate successfully in a predominately white organization.While immersed in the white mainstream, students of color also attempt to stay culturally grounded and connected with their own communities.This study suggests practical applications for these students as well as for white student leaders in order to create more inclusive and welcoming organizations for students of color.
Author: Laura Parkinson
Language: English
Subfield: Sociology and Political Science
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
SDG: Reduced inequalities
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W171125461