Contextual Factors in Ethnic-Racial Socialization in White Families in the United States
Recent demographic shifts and sociopolitical events in the United States have led to a racial reckoning in which white people are engaging with issues of race and racism in new ways. This study addressed the need for research to better understand contextual factors in ethnic-racial socialization (ER...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-04-01
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| Series: | Societies |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4698/13/5/114 |
| _version_ | 1797598289562959872 |
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| author | Tanya Nieri Justin Huft |
| author_facet | Tanya Nieri Justin Huft |
| author_sort | Tanya Nieri |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Recent demographic shifts and sociopolitical events in the United States have led to a racial reckoning in which white people are engaging with issues of race and racism in new ways. This study addressed the need for research to better understand contextual factors in ethnic-racial socialization (ERS)—strategies in white families to teach children about their own and other people’s ethnicity or race. It examined the relation of neighborhood, school, and social network ethnic-racial composition and U.S. region of residence to participants’ perceptions of ethnic-racial socialization by parents. It employed a large, national survey sample of white young adults reporting on their ERS while growing up and a comprehensive set of ERS strategies. We found that the ethnic-racial composition of the family’s social network, but not the neighborhood or school, was related to exposure to ERS: the whiter the network, the less frequent the socialization, particularly antiracism socialization and exposure to diversity. We also found that Southern residents were more likely than residents in the West and Midwest to be exposed to the strategies of preparation for bias, mainstream socialization, and silent racial socialization. The findings show that these two contextual factors relate to both the frequency and content of the ERS a white child receives. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T03:19:21Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-57bec1e8d72d46adbb3e8939f9adba32 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2075-4698 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T03:19:21Z |
| publishDate | 2023-04-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Societies |
| spelling | doaj.art-57bec1e8d72d46adbb3e8939f9adba322023-11-18T03:16:39ZengMDPI AGSocieties2075-46982023-04-0113511410.3390/soc13050114Contextual Factors in Ethnic-Racial Socialization in White Families in the United StatesTanya Nieri0Justin Huft1Department of Sociology, University of California at Riverside, Riverside, CA 92521, USADepartment of Sociology, University of California at Riverside, Riverside, CA 92521, USARecent demographic shifts and sociopolitical events in the United States have led to a racial reckoning in which white people are engaging with issues of race and racism in new ways. This study addressed the need for research to better understand contextual factors in ethnic-racial socialization (ERS)—strategies in white families to teach children about their own and other people’s ethnicity or race. It examined the relation of neighborhood, school, and social network ethnic-racial composition and U.S. region of residence to participants’ perceptions of ethnic-racial socialization by parents. It employed a large, national survey sample of white young adults reporting on their ERS while growing up and a comprehensive set of ERS strategies. We found that the ethnic-racial composition of the family’s social network, but not the neighborhood or school, was related to exposure to ERS: the whiter the network, the less frequent the socialization, particularly antiracism socialization and exposure to diversity. We also found that Southern residents were more likely than residents in the West and Midwest to be exposed to the strategies of preparation for bias, mainstream socialization, and silent racial socialization. The findings show that these two contextual factors relate to both the frequency and content of the ERS a white child receives.https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4698/13/5/114ethnic-racial socializationracial socializationwhitesethnic-racial compositiongeographic regionregion of residence |
| spellingShingle | Tanya Nieri Justin Huft Contextual Factors in Ethnic-Racial Socialization in White Families in the United States Societies ethnic-racial socialization racial socialization whites ethnic-racial composition geographic region region of residence |
| title | Contextual Factors in Ethnic-Racial Socialization in White Families in the United States |
| title_full | Contextual Factors in Ethnic-Racial Socialization in White Families in the United States |
| title_fullStr | Contextual Factors in Ethnic-Racial Socialization in White Families in the United States |
| title_full_unstemmed | Contextual Factors in Ethnic-Racial Socialization in White Families in the United States |
| title_short | Contextual Factors in Ethnic-Racial Socialization in White Families in the United States |
| title_sort | contextual factors in ethnic racial socialization in white families in the united states |
| topic | ethnic-racial socialization racial socialization whites ethnic-racial composition geographic region region of residence |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4698/13/5/114 |
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