Multiracial College Student Racial Identitiy Development in the Age of Tense Sociopolitical Polarization

• In Event: Facets of Racial Identity Development for Marginalized Students in Higher Education

Abstract

Multiracial youth, 18 years old or younger, makeup 5.6% of the U.S. population, alone. Despite this incredibly diverse and quickly growing population, only 1% of peer-reviewed journals in education focus on multiracial students. This study utilizes a narrative inquiry methodological approach and intersectional framework to analyze the factors which contribute to the racial identity development of multiracial college students and how those factors are impacted by the present sociopolitical moment of racial unrest. This paper generates complex and nuanced narratives of four multiracial college students on a predominantly white, highly selective, private university campus. The information gathered will aid researchers and practitioners in recognizing and filling the gaps in understanding of and support for multiracial college students.

Author

• Victoria L. Alexander, University of Maryland