Ethnicity and Race Relations

Symbolic Ethnicities for White Americans

St Patrick's Day

Irish American neighborhoods

Ethnicity is not something that influences their lives unless they want it to.

Ethnicities are an option for individuals

Misunderstandings arise from different perspectives on ethnic identity

The choice exists for White Americans because of social changes

Relations on college campuses

Heightened awareness of students backgrounds as they interact with people from diverse ethnicities, classes, religions, regions and races.

Optional Ethnicities

Optional Ethnicities

Learned stories from ancestries

Stories learned from ancestries contribute to a view of ethnicity that is highly individualistic and voluntary for White Americans.

Research Question: What are the implications of White Americans of European ancestry and enforced ethnic identities of non-White Americans, for social interactions and identity formation?

Conclusion: The concept of optional ethnicity is primarily available to White Americans of European ancestry, allowing them to choose their ethnic identities without significant social costs. In contract, non-Whites face socially enforced ethnic identities that significantly impact their life choices and opportunities.