A Sociological Examination of College Students’ Cognitive and Affective Dimensions of White Racial Identity

• In Event: 3480 - Section on Teaching and Learning in Sociology Refereed Roundtable Session
  In Refereed Roundtable 100min: Table 07. Racial Identity and Ideology in The Classroom

Abstract

The sociological study of white racial identity shows that we know far more about the cognitive processes of white racial prejudice (e.g., colorblind ideology) than we know about how the affective processes impact prejudicial thoughts and discriminatory behavior. Of particular concern is the range of emotion (e.g., guilt and hopelessness) that white students may experience as a consequence of learning about their unearned racial privileges and dominance. In my Racial and Cultural Minorities class, I assign an interracial contact self-reflection paper that provides white students the opportunity to address how they feel about their dominant racial identity status as well as their belief in the democratic principle of equality. A content analysis of students’ autobiographical writing shows the effectiveness of how students’ self-reflection of interracial contact can change their perceptions and feelings about what it means to be white.

Author

• Timothy D. Levonyan Radloff, East Stroudsburg University