Abstract

Despite the widely documented benefits associated with racial diversity in higher education, less is known about why and how race matters. A potential answer may be found in how students conceptualize race. This qualitative study explores students’ underlying racial conceptions, which have been shown to influence various attitudes and behaviors. Semistructured interviews with 18 undergraduates at one racially diverse campus reveal four distinct racial conceptions that are related to the line of inquiry in which race is evoked and influenced by campus contexts. The findings suggest a potential model of campus racial conceptualization with implications for student affairs research and practice.

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