Review of literature
COMIC STRIP REVIEW OF LITERATURE: http://bitstrips.com/r/82RHW
While the top-tier universities in the United States aim to have very diverse student bodies, predominantly white campus communities often prevail. Sure, these campuses have plenty of multicultural clubs and events honoring students from different backgrounds, but an impermeable divide still remains. At top colleges, black students often make up less than ten percent of the student body. As such an overwhelming minority, they often face barriers which most people believe to be non-existant.
The word diversity refers to the various types of people at a certain place, but it does not imply inclusion. Experts understand that many divides often exist within diverse campuses. For example, obvious divisions between white students and black students can be seen in greek life. Most campuses have both historically black fraternities and "white" fraternities. While historically black fraternities do have a special place in black collegiate tradition, their presence alone causes a rift. They cause black students to self-segregate in a sense. On college campuses where greek life dominates, this fraternity segregation often leads to, or represents, a social segregation on campus as well.
So why don't black students just join "white" fraternities instead of self-segregating themselves? Very few do, but most do not. The problem lies in the underestimated social awkwardness of black students joining "white" fraternities. Because there are not any "whites only" signs hanging on fraternity doors or official exclusionary policies in place, the notion that "white" fraternities are welcoming and easily permeable exists. However, this notion is untrue. The same way in which historically black fraternities do, in fact, have historically black members, the "white" fraternities also have historically white histories. Plus, even though some "white" fraternities may welcome black students, many black students feel uncomfortable being one of the few, if not the only, black student in his whole fraternity. Naturally, people feel more comfortable being around people who resemble them in some aspect, and this comfort level often goes unreached for black students in a "white" fraternity setting.
Furthermore, I believe one of the keys to resolving this issues is to simply talk about it and raise awareness. In order to resolve any problem, one must first understand why the issue exists in the first place. By interviewing both black and white students at top-tier university, I will hopefully create a conversation within the campus community which can shed light upon an eventual resolution, or at least a start. My upcoming research interviews consists of questions about on-campus racial dynamics, fraternity life and its traditions, and students' ideas about creating a united community.
While the top-tier universities in the United States aim to have very diverse student bodies, predominantly white campus communities often prevail. Sure, these campuses have plenty of multicultural clubs and events honoring students from different backgrounds, but an impermeable divide still remains. At top colleges, black students often make up less than ten percent of the student body. As such an overwhelming minority, they often face barriers which most people believe to be non-existant.
The word diversity refers to the various types of people at a certain place, but it does not imply inclusion. Experts understand that many divides often exist within diverse campuses. For example, obvious divisions between white students and black students can be seen in greek life. Most campuses have both historically black fraternities and "white" fraternities. While historically black fraternities do have a special place in black collegiate tradition, their presence alone causes a rift. They cause black students to self-segregate in a sense. On college campuses where greek life dominates, this fraternity segregation often leads to, or represents, a social segregation on campus as well.
So why don't black students just join "white" fraternities instead of self-segregating themselves? Very few do, but most do not. The problem lies in the underestimated social awkwardness of black students joining "white" fraternities. Because there are not any "whites only" signs hanging on fraternity doors or official exclusionary policies in place, the notion that "white" fraternities are welcoming and easily permeable exists. However, this notion is untrue. The same way in which historically black fraternities do, in fact, have historically black members, the "white" fraternities also have historically white histories. Plus, even though some "white" fraternities may welcome black students, many black students feel uncomfortable being one of the few, if not the only, black student in his whole fraternity. Naturally, people feel more comfortable being around people who resemble them in some aspect, and this comfort level often goes unreached for black students in a "white" fraternity setting.
Furthermore, I believe one of the keys to resolving this issues is to simply talk about it and raise awareness. In order to resolve any problem, one must first understand why the issue exists in the first place. By interviewing both black and white students at top-tier university, I will hopefully create a conversation within the campus community which can shed light upon an eventual resolution, or at least a start. My upcoming research interviews consists of questions about on-campus racial dynamics, fraternity life and its traditions, and students' ideas about creating a united community.