Author(s): Diana ARIZA, Len BERKEY
This article uses qualitative methods and a longitudinal time frame to examine the process of racial identity formation among African American students at a selective liberal arts college. It examines theories of racial identity development and performance, fictive kinship and racial authenticity, and the intersectionality of race and gender. The results demonstrate that students’ performances of blackness are dynamic and context-specific, but that they primarily reflect the struggle to resist stereotypes and to maintain racial authenticity. It is also evident that racial identity development is inextricably tied to gender identity, and that black male and female college experiences diverge sharply.
The Journal of International Social Research received 7760 citations as per Google Scholar report
