Racial identity invalidation is a social identity threat that occurs when a person’s racial or ethnic group membership is denied by others. While this phenomenon can be experienced by people of all backgrounds, it is particularly prevalent among multiracial people, whose mixed-race identities do not neatly fit the categories typically used to define race. Racial identity invalidation has been associated with several negative effects on mental health, social relations, and physical and emotional well-being; yet, because multiracial issues and experiences often go unnoticed in our largely monoracial society, this form of multiracial microaggression has been overlooked in discussions of diversity, equity, and inclusion. Moreover, little research has explored how identity invalidation plays out specifically in the workplace setting—an important context tied to one’s livelihood—making it unclear what downstream effects invalidation may have on work outcomes such as job satisfaction, engagement, and team cohesion. The present study expands on prior research by exploring how multiracial identity invalidation unfolds in various work contexts, with a focus on how multiracial people respond to instances of invalidation at work and what consequences these events might have for their professional relationships and career advancement. Qualitative data were collected through an online questionnaire and one-on-one, semi-structured interviews with multiracial people of diverse backgrounds and industries. Using a constructivist grounded theory approach, the study aimed to better understand the experiences, responses, outcomes, and contextual factors related to this phenomenon, with the ultimate aim of inductively developing a comprehensive model of multiracial identity invalidation in the workplace. Findings from this study suggest that multiracial people experience similar types of invalidation incidents (e.g., being asked to prove one’s heritage) in the workplace as they do in other arenas of life, yielding similarly negative intrapersonal responses (e.g., hurt, resentment, self-doubt). However, due to the power dynamics at play in most workplaces, their options for how to outwardly respond to these invalidation incidents are often limited, with responses ranging from passive (e.g., laughing it off) to more active approaches (e.g., trying to create a learning opportunity), depending on the perceived risk and likelihood of change. Although repeated invalidation experiences can lead to several negative work outcomes (e.g., strained coworker relationships, disengagement, self-silencing), some of the study participants also made changes for the better, by seeking new work opportunities at organizations that embraced their full and complex identities, aligned with their personal values, and recognized the strengths of having a mixed-race perspective. Finally, this study noted several contextual factors that appeared to influence the process of invalidation, with a particular emphasis on the need for social support systems and inclusive organizational practices. These study findings and the resultant comprehensive model offer practical insights for individuals, teams, and organizations, and suggest avenues for future research into the topic of multiracial identity invalidation in the workplace.

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Within leisure studies, research has focused on the role of ethnocultural specific leisure activities and ethnocultural maintenance among minority groups. According to Stodolska (2000), traditional leisure activities can help facilitate the retention of desired cultural elements. The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine dance teachers’ perception of the relationship between participation in ethnic cultural dance, ethnic cultural maintenance, sense of place and belongingness in a multicultural society. A phenomenological approach was used to analyze open ended interviews with participants. Purposive sampling was used to select participants based on the following parameters: participants were required to be a current or former teacher or teaching assistant of the Romiosyni Dance Group [RDG], in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada and, were required to have had their role for at least one year during the past 10 years. In total 16 interviews were conducted. The findings from this study suggest that ethnic dance taught in the RDG in Halifax, Nova Scotia, positively impacts ethnocultural identity and ethnocultural maintenance for members of the group. Furthermore, it seems that the ethnocultural leisure activity of ethnic dance plays a vital role in creating a sense of place and belongingness in a multicultural society and promoting multiculturalism in the city of Halifax. Finally, participants identified that the RDG played a more significant role in providing opportunities for ethnocultural maintenance when compared to other ethnocultural leisure services in the Greek Community of Halifax.

My research focuses on the role of historical legacies in shaping conflict dynamics and reinforcing social divisions today. I highlight the importance of equity in creating effective long-term governance and resilient institutions. Using the Philippines southern region of Mindanao as a case study, the three papers in my dissertation come together to provide evidence that the robust relationship between ethnic homogeneity and institutional development may not hold consistently over elongated time frames. I argue that while homogeneous communities are often quicker to organize through informal norms, the slower process of channeling regulations through structured, fixed institutions may sacrifice short term efficiency in favor of long-term durability. Viewing fractionalization as a process, I argue that this institutional trajectory will only unfold when examined through a historical lens and if fractionalization occurs in ways that incentivize collaboration instead of competition between groups. My first paper highlights the importance of a mutual investment in exchange across groups for setting communities on a path towards resiliency to communal conflicts. I argue that communities with histories of religious and ethnolinguistic diversity, alongside intergroup exchange, are more likely to invest in formal processes to resolve disputes, which in time leads to more robust institutions to mediate conflict between groups. I use 1939 census data on local dialects to show that contemporary Peace Zones are more likely to form in areas where members of the majority group invested in learning minority languages historically. The second paper provides evidence that the process of fractionalization, rather than just fractionalization itself, will carry long term consequences for institutional development. I argue that increased ethnic fractionalization during times of low conflict can break down political dynasties, which strengthens long term government responsiveness. Using census and administrative data, I show that where municipalities had higher levels of fractionalization prior to the mass migration and discriminatory laws initiated by US colonial authorities there are higher ratings of local government efficiency today. However, sharper demographic changes during the period of mass migration are associated with decreases in contemporary local government efficiency. The third paper uses original survey data collected on the management of land conflicts to explore where and why some local courts show more bias against minority groups. Survey results show that local government officials are more likely to expect community courts to rule in favor of minority groups in communities that fractionalized prior to mass migration. However, sharper demographic changes during mass migration are associated with a decreased expectation that a member of a minority group will accept the ruling of a local court. I provide evidence that historical institutional arrangements are generating path dependencies by showing that historical fractionalization prior to mass migration is associated with the development of fixed institutions to resolve conflict across multiple time periods historically and today. These papers provide theory and evidence of enhanced institutional resilience and an ability to adapt to new challenges or opportunities in communities with histories of intergroup cooperation. While fractionalization may initially weaken coordination, the institutional arrangements designed to overcome this new barrier can promote long term durability and strengthen a community's ability to effectively manage future conflicts.

Inclusive education is a broad topic which includes research in the areas of race, ethnicity, culture, gender, language, religion and ability. Since the end of the Second World War it has become an important concept discussed internationally in both policy and research. Supported in documents such as the Declaration of Human Rights and the Salamanca Statement it is concerned with rights, social justice, and equity within education for all. Over the decades inclusive education has evolved tremendously and new approaches to how to implement it have emerged. However, as one new approach is developed this does not mean that the old ones are discarded, making inclusive education more complex. Local implementation varies as political, social, and economic influences impact the way it is understood and put into practice. Therefore, this study aims at addressing the various approaches to inclusive education within the literature. Developing three approaches to organize inclusive education based on motivation for implementation, the concept will be connected to theories within multicultural education. The Czech Republic was selected as this country recently made legislative changes to its education system, moving it away from a multi-track system to an inclusive one. In order to identify how teachers are being prepared for these changes and their work within inclusive mainstream classrooms, the research data was collected at an initial teacher education programme and focused on the perspectives of faculty and students. Semi-structured interviews were used to identify how the various stakeholders understood inclusive education and how they interpreted its implementation within the Faculty of Education.

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