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2. Theoretical Orientation and Major Themes
- Russell Sage Foundation
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Chapter 2 Theoretical Orientations and Major Themes M ost research on the impact of higher education has focused on outcomes such as academic achievement, long-term earnings, and academic self-esteem; relatively few studies have focused on intergroup relations (for a review of the college impact literature, see Bowen and Bok 1998; Pascarella and Terenzini 1991). The few studies that have examined intergroup attitudes and behavior have generally found that increasing educational and intellectual sophistication appears to be correlated with decreasing levels of ethnocentrism and increasing ethnic tolerance (see Campbell 1971; Greeley and Sheatsley 1971; Schuman, Bobo, and Krysan 1992; Sidanius et al. 1991). However, there are several problems with much of this earlier research . First, the bulk of the studies have used cross-sectional designs. These designs make it difficult to conclude whether differences in the level of ethnocentrism between people of different educational levels are a function of educational experiences, normal maturational effects, or simple time period effects. These time period effects can manifest themselves when the general level of ethnic tolerance in the society at large changes from one time period to another. Second, much of the traditional literature has focused on variables that are likely to show only the positive effects of increased ethnic diversity on the quality of intergroup relations on the multiethnic campus . In this longitudinal project, we expand the list of variables in order to explore more seriously whether an emphasis on diversity might have both positive and negative effects on the quality of intergroup relations . Third, an important shortcoming of the earlier college impact research is its almost exclusive focus on relations between African American and non-Hispanic white students (Loo and Rolison 1986). Even though relations between black and white students remain central to college campus life (indeed, much of the racial strife on campuses across the nation is between black and white students), the increasing diversity on many college campuses has broadened intergroup relations to include relations among several different ethnic communities. Fourth, a major problem with the education–ethnic tolerance literature is the issue of “process.” Even if we could conclude that the effect of education on attenuated ethnic tolerance is real rather than an artifact, it is not at all clear what processes underlie this causal relationship. Is the link a function of improved information processing, increased selfesteem , changes in basic values (some type of socialization), or a combination of all three? It appears to us that the process of educational socialization may be one of the least systematically studied, yet most fundamental, issues in the education–ethnic tolerance field. If we could obtain a satisfactory understanding of how the educational experience influences intergroup attitudes and behaviors, we would have an answer to the more general question of whether a multicultural educational experience facilitates or ameliorates intergroup tension. Fifth, and finally, the majority of the college impact research relies almost exclusively on attitudinal measures of ethnocentrism and intergroup tolerance and does not explore the possible direct links between changes in attitudes and changes in behavior. The widely reported physical and verbal racial strife on college campuses across the United States in the 1980s (Elfin and Burke 1993; Phillips 1994) calls into question research findings stating that increased exposure to education necessarily leads to decreased levels of prejudice and ethnocentrism and indicates the need to explore both attitudinal and behavioral measures (Weil 1985). The research reported in this book therefore attempts to provide a process-oriented understanding of the development of intergroup attitudes and behavior across the college years. In addition, it attempts to provide an understanding of the development of relations among students of color as well as between white and nonwhite students. In exploring these general questions, the chapters of this book discuss four The Diversity Challenge 10 [18.234.232.228] Project MUSE (2024-03-28 15:26 GMT) general themes: the crystallization of ethnic, racial, and political attitudes in college; the effects of a multiethnic educational environment on attitudes and behaviors and social and academic adjustment in college; the effects of intergroup contact on students’ attitudes and behaviors; and the dynamics of ethnic and racial identity on campus. These themes are explored primarily within the context of four theories of intergroup relations: symbolic politics theory, contact theory, social identity theory, and social dominance theory. We first briefly describe these theoretical models and then discuss the four major themes. Theories of Intergroup Relations While there are dozens of theories dealing with intergroup...