Masters Theses

Date of Award

5-1994

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts

Major

Anthropology

Major Professor

Benita J. Howell

Committee Members

Dhyana Ziegler, Faye V. Harrison

Abstract

This study was designed to explore the social interaction of Black and White students at the University of Tennessee and how this interaction impacted Black students' college experience. Most of the pedagogical literature offers a psychosocial explanation of Black students' failure to fully integrate on White college campuses. Early educational anthropology literature presents a cultural difference explanation at the micro level. Present educational anthropology literature offers a more complete explanation of variability in minority school performance through a multi-deterministic approach utilizing race, class, and gender. This study moves beyond classroom performance. It attempts to discover inductively how Black and White students and faculty interact on campus and how their interaction influences the college experience of Black students.

This study used a qualitative research method, an open ended questionnaire for Black and White students, and a focus group of Black students, to gain access to student participants' perceptions of interracial interaction. All student participants were enrolled at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville during 1991 spring semester. The data gathered from the questionnaire and focus group were analyzed using grounded theory to identify themes about interaction between Blacks and Whites on campus.

The theory that emerged identified that Black students are unable to fully integrate at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. The lack of integration was not an issue of biculturalism but of Black student participants encountering cultural stereotypes that are rooted in the historical legacy that implied Black people's social inferiority. This forced many Black students to limit or guard their behavior when interacting with White people. Comments from Black student participants and their White student counterparts indicated that cultural stereotypes are pervasive in American society due to lack of first-hand interaction between people who are racially and ethnically different. Lack of first hand interaction creates a second hand enculturation process. Second hand enculturation occurs when people base their ideas about different types of people on socializing agents such as the media and family. The second hand enculturation process is further exacerbated on campus because of segregated activities, the wide spread perception of Whites that they experience reverse discrimination, and low numbers of Black students and faculty.

The study findings have implications for educational administrators and researchers. Based on research findings, this study recommends campus programs and policies that would encourage and support interaction between people who are racially and ethnically different.

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