Interracial Dating and Black Student Experiences of Inclusion: A Comparative Case Study of Two Predominantly White Universities

• In Event: Race, Class, and Gender Issues in Higher Education

Abstract

The findings presented in this paper are part of a larger dissertation study on Black Student Experiences at one American and one Canadian university. A cross-sectional sample of 42 Black students participated in in-depth interviews about their experiences at two predominantly White universities. Utilizing critical theories of intersectionality (Crenshaw, 1991; Dei, 2000; Hill Collins, 2000), I consider how the intersections of race, class, gender, and sexuality shape the experiences of the participants. Participants were asked to consider how interracial dating on campus contributed to their sense of inclusion. Analysis of the narratives show that Black males perceived that interracial dating contributed to their sense of inclusion while Black females reported feelings of exclusion.

Author

• Alana C. Butler, Cornell University