Browsing by Subject "Ethnic identity"
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Item Desi women on the forty acres : exploring intergenerational issues and identity development of South Asian American college students(2011-05) Ruzicka, Smita Sundaresan; Saenz, Victor B.; Reddick, Richard J.; Sharpe, Edwin R.; Fong, Rowena; Meunier, VagdeviSouth Asian Americans are one of the fastest growing sub-groups within the Asian American population in the United States today. Between 1960 and 1990, the South Asian American population witnessed an increase of approximately 900% (Leonard, 1997). This increase in population also corresponds with the increase in South Asian American students enrolling in institutions of higher education. However, despite their physical visibility on college and university campuses across the nation, South Asian American students remain invisible in higher education research. Student affairs practitioners have a limited understanding of the unique needs and issues confronted by South Asian American college students. This qualitative study addressed the paucity of research on South Asian American college students by specifically exploring the college experiences of South Asian American women. In particular, the study examined the central intergenerational issues between first-generation South Asian mothers who immigrated to the United States as adults and second-generation South Asian American daughters who are currently enrolled at the University of Texas at Austin. Secondly, it investigated the impact of these intergenerational issues on the identity development and overall college experiences of second-generation South Asian American female college students. Using a postcolonial, critical feminist framework, this study attempted to dismantle the one-dimensional, dominant narrative of South Asian Americans as the successful, high-achieving, model minority and present instead the multi-layered and complex narratives of these participants. Key findings indicated that the intergenerational issues between mothers and daughters were complex with both negative and positive impacts on the mother-daughter relationships, identity development, and the overall college experiences of the daughters. The transmission of culture and cultural values were primary ways in which mothers affected the identity development of their daughters. South Asian American peers and social networks were another significant source of identity development for the students. Additionally, narratives of both mothers and daughters revealed that the impact of the model minority image on women was qualitatively different than men where women had to often strive to fulfill simultaneous expectations of being a successful student and professional as well as conforming to the standards of being the model traditional South Asian wife and mother.Item Ethnic identity in health care: Intercultural health communication and physician-patient satisfaction(2006-12) Brown, Jacquee Denise; Scholl, Juliann C.; Olaniran, Bolanle A.; Hughes, Patrick C.The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of ethnic identity on how physicians and patients communicate in the medical interview based on the tenets of the Communication Theory of Identity. Both the physicians and the patients responded to survey measures to determine their effectiveness using intercultural communication as well as their relative levels of satisfaction with these interpersonal encounters. Only some of the physicians and patients were willing to admit that they openly display their ethnic identities in the medical interview. Most of the participants chose not to acknowledge the importance of ethnic identity in these interactions, or they only focus on the impact of communication without ethnicity.Item Examining ethnic identity and stereotypes of American-raised Chinese undergraduates in Texas(2010-05) Soon, Kokyung; Falbo, Toni; Richardson, Frank; Valencia, Richard; Suizzo, Marie-Anne; Urrieta, LuisAlthough there have been many studies focusing on Asian Americans’ ethnic identity and the stereotypes associated with them, little is known about how Asian Americans negotiate their multiple layers of ethnic identity and respond to the stereotypes imposed on them. The main goals of the current study were to examine American-Raised Chinese’ (i.e., Chinese who were born and/or raised in America) multiple layers of ethnic identity and their negotiation process of these multiple layers of ethnic identity, the relationship between their ethnic identity and stereotypes, and the creative ways American-Raised Chinese interpreted and responded to stereotypes. Another goal of this study was to examine the role of an ethnic student organization on campus and American-Raised Chinese’s participation in the organization. Through Chinese Cultural Association, I interviewed eighteen informants and observed their daily practices in public and private settings. The findings indicated that American-Raised Chinese undergraduates choosing to participate in an ethnic student organization over other organizations reflected their active negotiation of the multilayered ethnic identity. In addition, by meeting Chinese of different nationalities on campus and abroad, these undergraduates came to realize the diverse background of Chinese individuals, leading them to reexamine and reconstruct their ethnic identity. In particular, these undergraduates developed diasporic Chinese identity that not only acknowledged the diversity of Chinese community in America in terms of nationality, but also transformed their American identity into “ethnic” identity among Chinese of different nationalities. The findings also showed that American-Raised Chinese’ negotiation of their ethnic identity was closely related to their perception of the stereotypes. The informants came to recognize the changing nature of stereotypes and this realization led them to reconstrue their understanding of ethnic identity. Furthermore, using anecdotes of American-Raised Chinese undergraduates’ self impersonation, I argued that these undergraduates proactively responded to the stereotypes by making parody about themselves. Through self impersonation, these undergraduates achieved the double intents of performing themselves as Asian American and simultaneously challenged what the dominant American society expected them to be.Item Explaining ethnopolitical mobilization : ethnic incorporation and mobilization patterns in Bulgaria, Cyprus, Turkey, and beyond(2014-05) Alptekin, Huseyin; Madrid, Raúl L.Why do some ethnic groups mobilize in violent ways whereas some others mobilize by using peaceful methods? And why do some ethnic groups seek integration while some others pursue separatist goals? This dissertation proposes a theoretical framework to answer these questions. It suggests that a state’s ethnic incorporation policies shape both why (centripetal or centrifugal aims) and how (peaceful or violent methods) ethnic groups mobilize. It argues that (1) consocitionalism recognizes ethnic groups and grants a degree of political autonomy to them, yet limits individuals’ political participation via non-ethnic channels of political participation; and, therefore, it leads to peaceful and moderately centrifugal ethnic mobilizations; (2) liberal multiculturalism recognizes ethnic groups, grants a degree of political autonomy to them, and allows individuals to participate in politics via non-ethnic channels; and, therefore, it leads to peaceful and moderately centripetal mobilizations; (3) civic assimilationism neither recognizes ethnic groups nor grants a degree of political autonomy to them, yet allows individuals to participate in politics via non-ethnic channels; and therefore it leads to peaceful and centripetal mobilizations of groups which lack pre-existing ethnic mobilization; but it leads to moderately violent and centrifugal mobilizations of groups which have strong pre-existing ethnic mobilizations; and (4) ethnocracies neither recognize ethnic groups nor grant a degree of political autonomy to them, and they also limit individuals’ political participation via non-ethnic channels. Therefore, they lead to centrifugal and violent ethnic mobilizations. The dissertation uses a mixed method research design. The hypotheses are tested based on the Minorities at Risk data as well as the case studies of ethnic Turks in Bulgaria and Cyprus, and Kurds and the Roma in Turkey. The case studies benefit from an extensive field research in Bulgaria, Cyprus, and Turkey using original interviews with former and current guerillas, guerilla families, political activists, and politicians from each ethnic group under scrutiny and archival research on newspapers and legal documents. The findings indicate that politics of ethnic accommodation are not only an explanation for the causes of different ethnic mobilization patterns, but also a feasible remedy for ethnic disputes spanning all over the world.Item Exploring the convergence of sexual orientation identity, ethnic identity, cultural factors and their influence on depression, for self-identified gay and bisexual, Latino men(2011-12) Rico, Victor; Cokley, Kevin O. (Kevin O'Neal), 1969-; Guzmán, Michele R.; McCarthy, Christopher J.; Sherry, Alissa R.; Aguilar, JemelThe current study examined and attempted to converge two existing models of identity, as well as provide quantitative data that support longstanding assumptions and hypotheses regarding gay and bisexual Latino men. Using contemporary models of ethnic identity and sexual orientation identity development as a conceptual framework, the study examined the convergence of these identities, the influence of cultural factors, and how this influences mental health, specifically depression. Participants were 276 self-identified gay or bisexual, Latino men, between the ages of 18-26 yrs old. Ninety three percent of the study’s sample (n = 257) self-identified as gay, where the other 7% (n = 19) self-identified as bisexual. Thirteen Latino ethnicities were represented in the sample, including, but not limited to, Mexican, Puerto Rican, Guatemalan, Cuban, and Ecuadorian. Participants completed a demographic form, the Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Identity Scale (Mohr & Fassinger, 2000), the Outness Inventory (Mohr & Fassinger, 2000), the Ethnic Identity Scale (Umana-Taylor, 2003), the Beck Depression Inventory-II (Beck, Steer, & Brown 1996) and a questionnaire on Managing Multiple Identities modeled after Chen’s (2005). The results of this study indicated that gay and bisexual men do struggle with integrating the two identities, ethnicity and sexual orientation. Cultural factors such as importance of family, religion, and homophobia, appear to contribute to endorsing symptoms of depression. Results indicated that many participants of the sample also struggled with managing the conflict they experienced through the convergence of the two identities, reporting Avoidance and Not Knowing as coping strategies for managing this conflict. This study provides evidence that supports some of the longstanding assumptions and hypotheses and assists in shedding new light on identity development conceptualization, identity convergence, and identity management between two identities as it relates to self-identified gay and bisexual Latino men. Additionally, through examining the convergence of ethnic identity and sexual orientation identity, this study was able to expand on the identity development literature.Item Family, ethnic identity and education in relation to generational heritage language maintenance and shift among Chicanos of the South Plains(Texas Tech University, 2006-12) Torres, Ana; Benavides, Alfredo H.; Midobuche, Eva; Mendez-Morse, SylviaResearch in recent years has devoted increasing attention to the maintenance and shift of heritage languages among ethnic minorities in the United States, with Chicanos being no exception. The purpose of this study is to investigate the factors related to family, ethnic identity and education in relation to the maintenance or shift of the Spanish language over generations of Chicanos on the South Plains of Texas. This dissertation presents the findings of a mixed methodology study involving thirteen families in the South Plains area. The focus of the study was on the families of United States born adolescents of Mexican descent. Three generations within each of these families were studied in order to develop a greater understanding of the forces at work in their daily lives that have contributed to either the maintenance of Spanish or the shift to English over time. Each family member was interviewed, and was asked to take part in a Spanish language assessment, a cultural identity measure, and a questionnaire related to linguistic practices and language attitudes. The study utilized a heuristic phenomenological approach to investigate the three constructs of family, ethnic identity and education as they relate to the past and present language experiences of the research participants. Understanding the relationship of these three constructs to heritage language maintenance and shift will serve to further inform educators, parents, and community members about the effects of past and current policies and practices on the maintenance or shift of the Spanish language among Chicanos on the South Plains and in similar geographical areas, so that they may make informed decisions on language policy and socialization according to their long-term goals regarding the linguistic development of future generations. By helping to achieve a greater understanding of the forces at work in the daily lives of Chicanos that contribute to either the maintenance or shift of the Spanish language over generations, this research can add to the knowledge that has been acquired thus far regarding minority language patterns.Item A harbor in the tempest: megaprojects, identity, and the politics of place in Gwadar, Pakistan(2014-05) Jamali, Hafeez Ahmed; Ali, Kamran Asdar, 1961-This dissertation seeks to understand the ways in which Pakistani government’s attempts to initiate large-scale infrastructure development projects in Balochistan Province have transformed its social and political landscape. Ethnographically, the study focuses on Gwadar, a small coastal town in Pakistan’s western Balochistan Province to show how colonial and postcolonial projects of progress and development suppress or subsume other kinds of lived geographies and imaginations of place. Keeping in mind the centrality of everyday experiences in generating social forms, this dissertation describes how development, transnationalism, and ethnic identity are (re)configured. It is based on ethnographic encounters that foreground the lived experiences and imaginations of fishermen from Med kinship and occupational group who occupy a subaltern position within the local status hierarchy in Gwadar. On the one hand, the promise of becoming modern citizens of the future mega city incites new desires and longings among those fishermen that facilitate their incorporation into emergent regimes of labor and entrepreneurship. On the other hand, Pakistani security forces have tightened their control over the local population by establishing a cordon sanitaire around Gwadar Port and the town. These mechanisms of control have disrupted local fishermen`s experiences of place and intimate sociality and introduced elements of exclusion, fear, and paranoia. By interrupting the fishermen`s expectations of their rightful place in the city, it compels them to think of alternate ways to confront the state’s development agenda, including peaceful protest and armed struggle. The dissertation concludes, tentatively, that the imposition of political violence by state authorities that accompanies the structural violence of mega infrastructure projects tends to create a mirror effect whereby the victims of development adopt a language of violence and a different idiom of identity.Item The interrelations among ethnic self-labels & ethnic identity(2013-05) Shand, Latoya G.; Gershoff, Elizabeth T.This study examined the relationship between ethnic identity and ethnic self-labels, and their associations with adolescents’ psychosocial outcomes (perceived self-concept, self-reported grades, conduct disorder symptoms), in a diverse sample of 759 adolescents (52% females; 46% Latino, 35% Black, 13% White, and 6% of another race) aged 12 to 20 years in New York City). To further elucidate these relationships, the role of parental ethnic/racial socialization and age were also examined. Regression analyses revealed that ethnic identity, parental socialization, and age all had significant associations with each other and with psychosocial outcomes. There were no significant associations between ethnic self-labels and ethnic identity, behavioral symptoms or social competence. However, adolescents who used hyphenated ethnic self-labels reported higher academic achievement. Though the hypothesis that ethnic self-labels would predict adolescent outcomes was not supported, they suggest the need for greater accuracy in determining ethnic self-labels and delineation of ethnic identity.Item Mulheres Brazucas : identity negotiation in the immigration experience of Brazilian women(2013-08) Bessa, Luana Barbosa; Ainslie, Ricardo C.This study draws from literature on acculturation, acculturative stress and gender roles as they relate to the experiences of Latin American immigrant groups. It focuses on Brazilian immigrant women, a group which has been understudied in psychological literature. This interview-based qualitative research project utilizes a phenomenological approach focusing on the personal lived experiences of Brazilian immigrant women in Texas and Massachusetts. Ten interviews were analyzed and five emergent themes were revealed. Results revealed ways in which women's immigration experiences intersect with their multiple identities, and the ways in which those identities are shaped and negotiated during the transformative immigration experience. The phenomenological approach is particularly suited to study the immigration experience, as this experience inherently involves issues of identity, transition and meaning-making within a particular contextual space.Item Racial identity, ethnic identity, and the link between perceived racism and psychological distress in African and Afro-Caribbean Blacks(2013-12) Awosogba, Olufunke Rachael; Cokley, Kevin O. (Kevin O'Neal), 1969-Numerous studies confirm the relationship between perceived racism and psychological distress. Scholars have incorporated group identification to understand this relationship among Black Americans; however, there is a dearth in the literature on other Black ethnic groups. The influx of African and Afro-Caribbean immigrants continues to change the demography of Black America. Despite being racially categorized as Black, these groups have different social and cultural experiences, which influence self-concept and psychological functioning. The proposed study seeks to examine moderation effects of racial identity and ethnic identity in relation to perceived racism and psychological distress in African and Afro-Caribbean Blacks.Item Superficial ideologies of children : influencing perceptions and shaping ethnic identity through school culture(2008-05) Parker, Amber Danielle; Williams, Jerome D., 1947-Culture integrates more than ideology and tradition. These cultural elements are supplementary factors that unite under certain conditions to assist in the development and understanding of what is right, wrong and/or expected within a group. Ideology specifically has been found to influence and construct societal norms, and play a vital role in the conscious and subconscious interactions of individuals. These ideologies (superficial and non-superficial) have implications for the interpersonal interactions between individuals within and between the same cultural groups, as well as implications for organizational and professional development within academic and professional settings. This study will examine culture and ideology through an investigation of environment and its relationship to ethnic identity development. In addition, the study will investigate the possible relationship between ethnic identity and perceptions of credibility. Findings suggest that culturally related materials in an academic setting are not related to strength of ethnic identification with regard to ethnic identity- behavior; yet ethnic identity- achievement may be slightly related to school environment. Further, ethnic identity and school environment are not influential in the perception on credibility of people of divergent skin-tones. The research explores practical and theoretical implications, discusses the limitations of evaluating skin-tone of African Americans, and suggests proposals for future research.Item The role of ethnic identity, other protective factors, and acculturative stress in at-risk Mexican-American adolescents(Texas Tech University, 2009-08) Spendlove, Stuart J.; Borrego, Joaquin P.; Reich, Darcy A.; Harter, Stephanie; Cohen, Lee M.Mexican-American youth stand a greater risk than Caucasian youth of developing various academic, psychological, and social problems. A number of these problems are a result of stress related to the acculturation process. However, there is a paucity of research focusing on the factors that may reduce the occurrence of problems in at-risk populations. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship that ethnic identity, self-efficacy, prosocial attitudes, global positive expectancies, and acculturative stress have with external and internal psychological problems in 11-18 year old Mexican-American adolescent boys and girls attending an alternative education program as a consequence of rule-breaking and aggressive behavior in their mainstream school. Two hundred and nineteen Mexican-American youth participated in the study. Results show that culture specific ethnic identity status was not significantly related to psychological problems in at-risk Mexican-American adolescents and was not significantly related to any of the other protective factors examined in this study. However, self-efficacy and global positive expectancies were significantly, negatively related to psychological problems. In addition, acculturative stress was significantly, positively related to psychological problems. Directions for future research as well as implications for culturally appropriate methods for working with at-risk Mexican-American adolescents are discussed.Item Unbuckling the German belt : the history of opera audiences in San Antonio(2011-05) Alba, Ernest Isaiah; Keeler, Ward; Straubhaar, JosephOpera is unique among forms of Western classical music and performing arts in that it has always been a popular and accessible form of “cultured” entertainment. As a city with one of the longest and richest histories of opera performance in Texas, San Antonio provides a significant opportunity to survey the relationship between this popular art form and discourses of identity, power, and difference across ethnic, class, and gender divisions. This paper has two aims. First, it investigates the history of opera reception in San Antonio in order to examine changes in the traditional values of its citizens over the past century, focusing on the influence of ethnic identity among German immigrants. Then, it looks at the scholarship on cultural performance in various contemporary situations analogous to that of San Antonio and constructs five key processes of identification that show how individuals contextualize themselves in shared histories and identities through their participation in cultural performance of opera.