Doctoral Dissertation Research: The Social Construction of Racial and Ethnic Identity among African American and West Indian Blacks married with Whites

Through a comparative analysis of African American/white and West Indian/white interracial couples, this study will refine our understanding of identity construction as a process that is conditioned by interactions with social institutions and social networks, including peers, co-workers, and family members, as well as the ethnic background and resources of each partner. In-depth interviews will be conducted to understand how conditions within and surrounding interracial families affect the daily behavior and social affiliations of the parents and their mixed-race offspring.