the lines of color aren’t always clear
DESCRIPTION
The Lines of Color Aren’t Always Clear. Linda Ueki Absher Portland State University Library. Overview. Multiracials: is there a definition? Who are they? History and Stereotypes Major Research Topics Issues regarding research and access Resources Print/Online Web/Web 2.0. - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Overview
Multiracials: is there a definition? Who are they? History and Stereotypes Major Research Topics Issues regarding research and access Resources
Print/OnlineWeb/Web 2.0
Multiracials: A Definition?
US Census: technically no “multiracial” or “biracial” category
“Instead of allowing a multiracial category…. the OMB adopted the Interagency Committee's recommendation to allow respondents to select one or more races when they self-identify”
Has never used the same race categories for more than three consecutive censuses
Multiracials: Who Are They?
2.4% of the U.S. population Mostly from Generation Y (5-24)
42% of multiracials are under 18• Might be due to changing attitudes towards
identitySecond Largest Group? Baby Boomers!
Most common identification?White and another race
Who Are They? (continued)
Location: 40% live in the WestLive in large metro areas in large,
diversely populated states Education (25+ age group):
22% -- Some college (21% total US)12.6% -- Bachelor’s degree: (15.5%)26.7% -- Less than an HS degree
• Compare with total US %: 19.6%
History and Stereotypes
Then: Tragic Mulatto Sayonara/Love is A Many Splendored Thing Evil (Temptress/Rapist/Violent) Amerasian Orphan Sage/Mystic (Native American)
Now: Beautiful/Exotic (models, celebrities, etc) Sexual Sad and Confused – Tragic Mulatto redux
Major Research Topics
Identity Intersection with other identities (gender,
class, age, etc.) “Passing” and appearance issues
History/Politics Categorization, census, laws, etc.
Adoption Families Relationships
Interracial Studies Research: The Poor Stepchild
Not a separate field of studyUsually subsumed under other fields
Works clustered mostly in the Social SciencesSociology, Psychology, Social Work,
Education, etc. Fiction/Memoirs Juvenile Literature
Interracial Studies Research
The Bible: Multiracial America : a resource guide on
the history and literature of interracial issues / Karen Downing, et al
As a Field of Study…. New field of research
Most published within last 15-20 years Difficult to locate materials using traditional
library tools Inconsistent terminology LC Subject Headings & Classifications Results often muddied with off-topic retrievals
• Eurasian” – geology, etc.• “Interracial”– labor organizing, groups, etc.
Some materials may be biased, inaccurate and/or offensive
LC Subject Headings
LC Subject Headings: Old? Outdated? Offensive?“Children of interracial marriage” “Racially mixed children” ”Racially mixed people”
Outdated subject headings still linger in records
• e.g., “Miscegenation”, “Mulattoes”, etc.
LC Classifications: The Poor Stepchild
Many resources located in the E184-E185.98 rangeE184: “Elements in the Population”
--“racial, ethnic and religious groups that have significance in the history of the US”
E185-E185.98: “African Americans” HQ777.9: “Racially mixed children” HQ1031: “Interracial offspring”
Notable Authors/Works
Maria RootOne of the earliest published scholars
on multiracial identity Black, White, Other: Biracial
Americans Talk about Race and Identity, Lise Funderburg
Half and Half: Writers on Growing Up Biracial and Bicultural, Claudine O’Hearn
Databases
Dissertation Abstracts Best resource re interracial issues as a
distinct research area No subject headings; ever-changing
keywords Ethnic Newswatch
Features articles from ethnic and minority presses
Not quite as strong as an academic resource Subject headings have changed
Databases (continued)
PsycInfoSubject Heading: Interracial Offspring
• Not applied consistently
MasterfileExcellent general resource“Multiraciality”??
The World Wide Web
More defined topicHundreds of sites dedicated to all
aspects of this topic Less academic, reliable info Loop: more mulitracial/biracial folks
finding information and each other, the more information and interest generated.
Notable Websites - General Information
Stanford University: Research Quick Start Guide: Ethnic Identity
Resources By and About Interracial & Multi-Cultural People: www-personal.umich.edu/~kdown/multi.html
Notable Websites - General Information
Stanford University: Research Quick Start Guide:library.stanford.edu/depts/ssrg/adams/shortcu/ethi.html
Web 2.0
MySpace! (http://myspace.com)Several biracial/multiracial groups
mixedrace.com Youtube.com
Several videos of Jen Chau of Swirl.com (“Addicted to Race”)
Conclusions
Traditional resources and avenues of researchFragmented, inconsistentUsually tacked on with another area of
studyGrowing interest evidenced by
Dissertation Abstracts
Conclusions
World Wide WebMore resources begin appearing
• Guides, associations, electronic lists
Creating more interest in the subject? Web 2.0
Explosion of interestDemand will probably drive the
development of information resources
Questions?
Online resources and links:http://del.icio.us/absherl/multiracial
Presentation: http://web.pdx.edu/~absherl/jclc/jclc.ppt