Mom we’re not that white… is it ok to be brown?: Intersections of childhood and youth culture with racial identity

• In Event: Race, Indigeneity and Resistance

Proposal

Rationale and methodology: This qualitative study uses narrative inquiry and seeks to understand the lived experiences of two children of academics who experienced vastly different sociocultural experiences within their schools and communities. These experiences independently led these young students to question issues of racial identity and we explore how this is viewed within childhood and youth cultures. Narrative inquiry provides a biographical description of events and experiences through thick, rich story telling. The use of this method in educational research is based on the premise that individuals lead storied lives and is appropriate for interpreting individual perspectives on their lived experiences (Connelly & Clandinin, 1990). For this study, the academics both revisited and recounted situational experiences that were had with their own children while analyzing interviews conducted with the children. While we technically used purposive sampling, the inquiry itself emerged from the lived experiences of the researchers and focuses on their two children. To ensure integrity of data collection, the children were interviewed by both researchers in person and via zoom. We, the researchers, used semi-structured interview techniques and both restorying (Ollerenshaw & Creswell, 2002; Shaw, Coleman, Thomas, & Kafai, 2023) as well as the three components of narrative thinking according to Kim (2016), which included, narrative schema, prior knowledge and strategies that construct a story in relation to oneself and others. Researchers used an iterative process of data analysis as we each individually analyzed the data and developed interpretive memos which were shared and then discussed for themes and emergent stories that intersected or differed for each child. Member checking was also established throughout the analysis.

Theoretical Perspectives: According to Byrd (2012), there are three components of racial identity for children which include awareness, identification and attitudes. These three components relate to ones ability to label and distinguish race according to acceptable norms as well as identify oneself within those norms and finally articulate attitudes and ideologies related to race etc. These same components relate less to adolescents since it is assumed that the first two components are more established by then so racial identity in adolescents and beyond primarily relates to attitudes (Byrd, 2012). Social cognitive theory (Bandura, 1989) offers one way to conceptualize how students may develop attitudes related to social norms such as race, based on observation, imitation and modeling in social situations. One can infer based on this theory that while there are complex factors which contribute to facets of identity, such as; individual and relationship factors in social environments like home, school and community and notions of privilege, oppression and structures of racism (Moffitt, Rogers, & Dastrup, 2022), that aspects of social cognitive theory likely strongly contribute to the construction of racial identity. Further, the concept of equity is at the forefront of educational and political discussions and debates. The construction of racial and also cultural identities while they are not the same, have implications for equity and inclusion as well as advocacy and protest which may be linked to attitudes and beliefs about race and access in both childhood and youth cultures. Gorski (2019) posits that while issues of racial identity contribute to cultural identity, they are not the same thing and further contends that racial inequities are not based on cultural misunderstandings. With regard to identity, equity and inclusion related to children and youth culture, these ideas bring about important questions related to how children and youth both construct their own racial identities as well as the identities of others in schools and communities.

Findings: Several themes emerged based on intersections of racial identity with childhood and youth cultures. The stories of the two children were very diverse, both because of age (one elementary aged and the other adolescent), demographics (physical location in the U.S and race) and vastly different experiences, but there were however, several common intersections as well. The theme of advocacy/protest emerged strongly for both children. This was an interesting finding that has implications for future research because this theme emerged for each of them differently but was still prominent in their constructions of identity. Other themes such as difference/sameness, shades of black and brown (not that white), and Peers/Friendship also emerged differently but distinctively for both students. Individual stories, vignettes and reflections characterize each of these themes.

Link to CIES Theme:
Given the findings, this inquiry specifically connects to sub-theme 1 Histories of Protest:
What part does memory and education play in keeping alive a sense of agency and possibility for future activist work? This inquiry also connects to sub-theme 2 Curriculum and Protest: In what ways can education be a catalyst for change? Since the participants in the inquiry both developed a sense of advocacy/protest related to their racial and cultural identities as children and youth, there are implications to consider for both education and community development and action especially as they relate to access, asset, inclusion and equity.

Scholarly Contribution: Findings from this qualitative study represent the lived experiences of two students of academics which reflect the construction of racial identities and has implications for understanding the complexities of racial identity in children and youth as well as implications for future research and consideration pertaining to inclusive education and community development and action.

Authors

• Theresa Abodeeb Gentile, University of Hartford

• Dyanis Conrad, Randolph-Macon College