Examining the Significance of “Race” in College Students’ Identity Within a “Postracial” Era

This qualitative study examines the significance of “race” within the identities of a diverse sample of traditionally aged college students (N = 59) across 2 institutions. Our findings demonstrate that more than half of the participants felt race mattered to their sense of identity, since it was either descriptive of a sense of self provided order within differing contexts, or highlighted inequities. Why race did not seem to matter to the remaining students was explored with 3 resulting frameworks: race-salience and beliefs in a postracial society having the most explanatory value, while racial colorblindness the least. Methodological and theoretical innovations provide the foundation for implications toward complicating notions of race and identity within higher education research and practice.