scholarly journals Fluid identity play: A case study of a bilingual child’s ethnic identity construction across multiple contexts

2020 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 200-213
Author(s):  
Hyonsuk Cho ◽  
X. Christine Wang
Keyword(s):  
Ethnic Identity ◽  
Identity Development ◽  
Language Proficiency ◽  
Korean American ◽  
Positioning Theory ◽  
Bilingual Students ◽  
Ethnic Identity Development ◽  
The Social ◽  
Peer Dynamics

Informed by positioning theory as well as a nexus of multimembership, the year-long case study examined how a 7-year-old Korean American bilingual child, Meeso, constructed her ethnic identity across different educational contexts. Data were collected through observations of Meeso’s interactions with her monolingual and bilingual peers and teachers. Discourse analysis revealed that Meeso constructed fluid ethnic identity positionings depending upon how she desired to position herself and to be positioned by others. We also identified that the social context, language proficiency, and peer dynamics were related to the process. Based on the findings, we discuss the roles of context, language, and peer interaction for bilingual students’ ethnic identity development.

scholarly journals Heritage Language and Ethnic Identity: A Case Study of Korean-American College Students

2009 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Clara Lee Brown
Keyword(s):  
College Students ◽  
Ethnic Identity ◽  
Language Proficiency ◽  
Heritage Language ◽  
Korean American ◽  
Heritage Languages ◽  
Negative Stereotypes ◽  
High Level ◽  
Heritage Language Speakers

The current study explores how heritage language proficiency affects the ethnic identity of four Korean-American college students who have maintained a high level of heritage language proficiency. Findings from in-depth interviews are consistent with previous studies which show close relationships between heritage languages and ethnic identity, yet the study reveals that a high level of heritage language proficiency is not necessarily associated with a heightened sense of ethnic identity for the selected students. Interview data suggest that participants’ perceived expectations from society in general contribute to identity conflicts. A path to maintaining heritage language should start from creating a safe environment, especially in schools where heritage language speakers are protected from negative stereotypes.

scholarly journals Theoretical and Methodological Contributions of Narrative Psychology to Ethnic Identity Research

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Moin Syed
Keyword(s):  
Ethnic Identity ◽  
Identity Development ◽  
Rating Scale ◽  
Ethnic Identity Development ◽  
Narrative Psychology ◽  
The Past ◽  
Methodological Tool ◽  
Quantitative Rating ◽  
Theoretical Issues

The purpose of this chapter is to showcase how narrative, or the stories that people tell about their experiences, is a useful theoretical and methodological tool for understanding ethnic identity development. Over the past two decades, research on ethnic identity development has primarily relied on quantitative, rating-scale instruments (Phinney, 1992; Sellers et al., 1998). While this methodology has contributed to a strong knowledge base regarding the correlates and developmental course of ethnic identity (Quintana, 2007), what has been lacking is an analysis of the lived experiences that constitute one’s ethnic identity and contribute to its development. To this end, the chapter includes a synthesis of published and ongoing studies to illustrate how a narrative approach can contribute to theoretical issues of major importance to the study of ethnic identity: how ethnic identity develops, the role of context in development, and the dimensionality of ethnic identity. These examples highlight the close connection between method and theory, as well as how narrative research can inform subsequent survey-based work.

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