Negotiating Social Contexts

This book examines the identification choices of a group of biracial college women and explores howthese identifications relate to their choices and constructions of different social contexts. It is a qualitative studythat draws on recent psychological literature as well as personal interviews and focus groups with a group ofbiracial college women. The book includes 1) a review of the relevant literature concerning biracial individuals2) a discussion of some of the unique issues facing researchers who work with biracial populations and 3) an indepthexamination of the relationship between identity and different social contexts for a group of biracialwomen.The book addresses issues critical to educators counselors policy makers and researchers who workwith biracial students as well as biracial individuals and their families. For example it shows how for thisgroup of biracial college women identity choices did influence their choices and constructions of socialcontexts particularly at the school that they all attended. Yet while identification choices did influence their perceptions about their socialcontexts other factors such as social barriers also influenced them. Family members played a role in their identification choices as well butsiblings were found to be more influential than parents. In addition the book demonstrates how educators and biracial mentors had asignificant impact on this particular group of biracial women. The implications of these findings for parents educators and futureresearchers are considered as the number of biracial individuals living in the United States continues to grow.