In this paper I focus on the process of formulating an ethnic
identity in the United States for individuals of mixed-ethnicity. My main
question explores the complexities an individual with parents of separate
and distinct ethnic heritages faces when constructing an ethnic identity
in our society. American society is reaching a new reality where
influences of not only mixed "race", but of an individual's multiple ethnic
heritages can be recognized and discussed. Still, American culture has
little patience with changing identities between contexts or with an
ambiguous identity. Through the combination of research, interviews,
and my own life experiences, I explore the many complex influences and
conditions which shape an individual's mixed ethnic identity over time.
My main informants are individuals whose parents acknowledged an
evident and specific ethnic heritage distinct from one another. My
informants are a combination of their cultural and biological heritage,
leaving them with more flexibility how to construct their own ethnic
identity, which may then change through time, based on their unique life
experiences.
As I traced the formulation of ethnic identity, for individuals of
mixed-ethnicity, I found that it is not only shaped by how they see
themselves, but also by how others perceive them. Ethnic identity begins
with the individual's family heritage, cultural background, language, and
personality and is then transformed by political, economic, educational,
and other diverse influences of society, which unfortunately also includes
prejudice, discrimination, and embellished stereotypes. / Graduation date: 2000
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:ORGSU/oai:ir.library.oregonstate.edu:1957/28416 |
| Date | 07 June 1999 |
| Creators | Lonergan, Courtney C. |
| Contributors | Gross, Joan |
| Source Sets | Oregon State University |
| Language | en_US |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis/Dissertation |
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