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The maze of classification based on ethnicity: is there a solution?. Chantal Davies (Senior Lecturer, University of Chester). Objectives. Background Categorisation and ethnicity Conclusions: application to future research. Background.
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The maze of classification based on ethnicity: is there a solution? Chantal Davies (Senior Lecturer, University of Chester)
Objectives • Background • Categorisation and ethnicity • Conclusions: application to future research
Background • The 2011 BME Experience Project (Davies & Garrett, 2011) • Nature of the project • Use of broad generic terminology • Self-identification • Problems • The ‘Employability’ research • Background • Importance of ‘race wrestling’ (Pollock, 2004)
Categorisation and ethnicity: introduction • The need for classification • Tool of emancipation? (Urla, 1993) • Tool of oppression? (Bonnett & Carrington, 2000) • Higher Education and ethnic monitoring (Bird, 1996; Connolly, 1994)
Categorisation and ethnicity: general terminology • Race/ethnicity • The politicisation and decline of ‘black’ • Use of umbrella terminology • Black • BME • Ethnic minority • Minority ethnic
Categorisation and ethnicity: pan-ethnic and specific categorisation • Use of pan-ethnic terms • Specific terminology: • The problem of ‘White’ • Conceptual confusion (Burton et al, 2010) • Imposed or self-categorisation
Conclusions: application to future research • Multiplicity of ethnicity (Nazroo & Karlsen, 2003) • Open ended questions on dimensions of ethnicity • The importance of ‘race wrestling’ • Position as a non-BME researcher (Howarth, 2002)
References • Bird, J. (1996). Black Students and Higher Education. Buckingham: Open University Press. • Bonnett, A., & Carrington, B. (2000). Fitting into categories or falling between them? Rethinking ethnic classification. British Journal of Sociology of Education, 21(4), 487-500. • Burton, J., & Nandi, A., & Platt, L. (2010). Measuring ethnicity: challenges and opportunities for survey research. Ethnic and Racial Studies, 33(8), 1332-1349. • Connolly, C. (1994). Shades of Discrimination: University Entry Data 1990-92, in: S Haselgrove (Ed.). The Student Experience. (Buckingham, SRHE/Open University). • Davies, C., & Garrett, M. (2012). The BME student experience at a small northern university: an examination of the experiences of minority ethnic students undertaking undergraduate study within a small northern university. Compass: The Journal of Learning and Teaching at the University of Greenwich, 5, 57-66. • Howarth, C. (2002). Using the theory of social representations to explore difference in the research relationship. Qualitative Research, 2(1), 21-34. • Nazroo, J., & Karlsen, S. (2003). Patterns of identity among ethnic minority people: Diversity and commonality. Ethnic and Racial Studies, 26(5), 902-930. • Pollock, M. (2004). Race wrestling: struggling strategically with race in educational practice and research. American Journal of Education, 111, 25-67. • Urla, J. (1993). Cultural politics in an age of statistics: numbers, nations, and the making of Basque identity. American Ethnologist, 20(4), 818-843.