Renn’s ecological theory of mixed race development

1. Renn’s ecological theory of mixed race development A’dja Jones

2. Dr. Kristen Renn • Obtained PhD in Higher Education from Boston University • Professor of Higher, Adult, & Life Long Learning (HALE) at Michigan State University • Some research interests include: • new professionals in student affairs • lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender issues • mixed race college students

3. Creation of theory • Noting little research about biracial identity in college setting, Renn conducted three complex studies in 2000, 2003, 2004 • Interviewed fifty-six mixed-race students at six different colleges and universities in the eastern and Midwestern U.S. • Analyzed data obtained from participants, focus groups, observations, and archives • Renn presented findings in her book, Mixed Race College Students published in 2004

4. Ecological Influences • Importance of space and peer culture • Space (physical & psychological) • Extent to which they found places where they fit in • Formal and informal • Bronfenbrenner’s Person-Process-Context-Time Model • Other factors: • Gender and orientation • Social class • Religion/spirituality • Family

5. Patterns of identity Among Multiracial Students • Monoracial Identity • Multiple Monoracial Identities • Multiracial Identity • Extraracial Identity • Situational Idenity

6. Monoracial Identity • Individual will choose one of the two cultural backgrounds to identify with • If one of the parents was white, identity was generally represented by less dominant ancestry • Easiest for students whose appearance and cultural knowledge were congruent • Peer interactions affected the degree of monoracial identification

7. Multiple Monoracial Identities • Numerous factors play part in what role in what identity an individual will identify with according to the time and place • Often representing parental heritages • White and Latino • African American and Asian • Often knowledgeable about each aspect of heritage • Would rather label themselves than be labeled

8. MultiRacial Identity • Individual chooses not to identify with one heritage or another • “Mulitracial” group associated with other racial categories • Mixed, hapa, biracial, multiracial • “existing outside of the monoracial paradigm” (Evans et al., 2010, p. 298) • Formal and informal groups where mixed-race student interactions were present and exposure to racial issues contributed to this identity

9. Extraracial identity • Race is deconstructed • No specific identification • Categories are seen as artificial • Resistance to choose one or another • Seen as socially constructed by white majority

10. Situational identity • Fluid pattern of identity; contextual • Racial identity is stable, but certain elements are more salient than others • Shifting between identities was sometimes unconscious and other times deliberate • Some students saw this as an easy task while others thought it stressful

11. Application • Assessment • Policy • Programming • Structural Diversity • Curriculum • Encouraging Boundary Crossing

12. Name that identity pattern • Erin grew up in China and is majoring in Music. Her father is from China and her mother is American and she cherished both heritages. Erin was extremely excited to attend college and get involved in a mixed-race group. However, she was constantly branded as Asian. She hated being labeled and did not believe race was as important as her personality and passion for music….

13. Name that identity pattern • Dani sees herself as a unique combination of black and white and thinks of herself as biracial. She is often frustrated when not given the option to select that choice. She hesitantly checks the black box because that was how most people labeled her. When she was forced to identify as black, she felt like she was betraying her white mother, to whom she felt very close…

14. Name That Identity Pattern • George is a sophomore Communications major. His father is German and his mother is Chinese. Due to his father’s international career, George lived in many different countries and continents. He described himself as international with many heritages….

15. Consider this • Why is this theory important? • In what ways can we as student affairs professionals promote and support healthy biracial and multiracial identity development? • What are some of the difficulties we may face when looking at this theory? • How do we deconstruct social implications about racial identities?

16. References Evans, N. J., Forney, D. S., Guido, F. M., Patton, L. D., & Renn, K. A. (2010). Student development in college: Theory, research, and practice (2nd ed.). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Renn, K. A. (1998). Claiming space: The college experience of biracial and multiracial students on predominantly white campuses. Unpublished manuscript, Boston College. Renn, K.A (2004). Mixed race college students: The ecology of identity, race, and community on campus. Albany: State University of New York Press. Renn, K. A. (2008). Research on biracial and multiracial identity development: Overview and synthesis. New Directions for Student Services, 2008(123), 13-21.

17. Questions/Concerns/Comments