Biracial Korean Adolescents’ Complex Journey to Identity Formation

• In Event: Roundtable Session 101
  In Roundtable Session: Research on the Education of Asian and Pacific Americans: Roundtable Session on “Invisible” Groups

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to initiate dialogue about issues around bi/multiracial individuals of Asian heritage in Asian American communities. Findings show that biracial adolescents straddle between socially constructed and dichotomous concept and their multiple identities. They feel otherized due to people’s binary perspectives of defining who are authentic Americans and Asians. This study investigates how linguistic and cultural echelon influence parental socialization practices to instill social identity with higher status to their children rather than recognizing multiple identities for their biracial children. That, in turn, leads to biracial adolescents’ struggle to find their own space as being biracial. Vygostky’s concept of perezhivanie and social situations of development is used as a framework to understand biracial adolescents’ identity formation.

Author

• Kwang-Jong Park, University of New Mexico