Young Children's Racial-Cultural Identity Development: A Phenomenological Case Study of an Asian American Child

• In Event: 61.064 - Seeking Social Justice in Early Childhood: Portraits of Children as Active Agents

Abstract

This article reports on a phenomenological case study following one Asian-American child’s development of racial-cultural identity in the United States during a three-year period. This study aimed to closely explore, understand, and explain the critical incidents for an Asian-American child to recognize racial-cultural identity, and the strategies used to navigate through the school culture. Preliminary findings include (a) mixed feelings of wanting to belong and not to belong; (b) trying to fit into the dichotomy through the conceptualizing of ‘slavery’; and (c) using linguistic competence to belong to a cultural group. This study offers a rationale that racial-cultural identity development in early childhood years is complex and thus it takes time and careful attention to fully under the phenomenon.

Author

• H. Sophia Han, University of South Florida