The Struggle for Black Homophily on a Predominantly White Campus

• In Event: 452 - Section on Racial and Ethnic Minorities Refereed Roundtable Session and Business Meeting
  In Refereed Roundtable 60min: Table 14. Racial Identity

Abstract

Despite the small numbers of Blacks on predominantly White campuses and the opportunity for cross-racial tie formation, Black students are incredibly racially homophilous (Antonio 2001; Stearns, Buchmann and Bonneau 2009; McClintock 2010; Wimmer and Lewis 2010). Little network research explores same-race friendship formation and none explore Black homophily. Interviews with thirty Black undergraduates at a highly selective university on the West Coast suggest that Black network formation is fraught with obstacles. Unable to form the Black friendships they desired, many students abandoned their cross-racial social networks and renounced prior time commitments to acquire networks they perceived to be uniquely beneficial. Students unwilling to sacrifice found themselves without the Black friendships they desired. These participants demonstrate that what appears to be an effortless and unstructured process of friendship formation is in fact effortful and strategic.

Author

• Tamara Gilkes, Stanford University