Cultural Houses and the Pursuit of Diversity

Tim McDonoughEthnography of the University Initiative

Question & MethodologyWhat can student researchers tell us about

the issue of Diversity on Campus?Searching the Archive

Prioritize the most recentSelect all studies on focused DiversityIdentify trends and report dataAnalysis: minimal explicit analysis, but

inherent in the identification of trends and the choice of relevant data.

Invitation to the Archive

EUI Community in IDEALSwww.ideals.uiuc.edu/handle/2142/755www.eui.uiuc.edu

Overview of Presentation1. Student Identity in Process

2. Defining Diversity

3. Cultural Houses’ Role in Achieving Diversity

4. Student Recommendations

Student Identity in Process“My identity seemed much like this when I

first began college. I did not know who I was and what group I belonged to. It seemed important to pick a side because it was a division. On the one hand, I could continue to be who I always was and know only that I was a student, and on the other hand I needed to claim who I was and learn about my culture. I soon realized [that the group I was to be] in was not a choice to make but a decision I had to take.”

Student Identity in Process“This interview really forced me to step back and

reevaluate my own bias and perceptions. Thus far, I had been speaking with upperclassmen that, according to this interview, may have learned what they are supposed to believe and with whom they are supposed to interact. …but now that my attention has been drawn to the freshman duality (the idea that an incoming freshman is stuck between who they were in high school and who they want to become in college) I will intentionally attempt to get more interviews from this group and compare it across class” (Barber, 2005).

Student Identity in Process“Paola’s transition from high school to college served as a time

to recapture her ethnicity outside of the home. …Her comments reflected a sense of sheltering her culture outside of the home to avoid being seen and treated differently. Once she arrived to the university, by surrounding herself around people of similar backgrounds and cultures, she began noticing the injustices people similar to her experience” (Garcia, 2006).

“Latino students face the daily struggle to find an identity, which not only fits their background and experience, but also feels the most comfortable. The individual alone cannot achieve self-identification, there are external factors shaping the individuals’ belief of what his/her identity is and should be like.…Due to the varieties of backgrounds and demographics of Latino students, it is not an easy task to clearly fit the criteria for a Latino. Students are creating stigmas and pressures on their fellow peers in order to meet constructions of Latinidad” (Garcia, 2006).

Defining Diversity“Hector said that when he arrived at the

University of Illinois he felt isolated because there were “niches” or groups that only “hang out by themselves.” Hector tells me that he was naïve and idealistic when he arrived on campus. He thought that at the university level, everyone would get along and “hang out.” As the years have progressed, he has seen many events in which you clearly see that many have suffered discrimination on campus” (Lemus, 2008).

Defining Diversity“The university seemed like a place where all

ideas were accepted and challenged; where color, age, sex, and nothing else mattered, except each individual’s mind. The university seemed like a place where I would finally find my fit and know that I belonged to a world of intellect and openness….As I arrived, I realized how this utopian idea of a university I had, was a bit off. I found myself challenged… I was made to feel that I was only here because of my color and status in society. My accomplishments were belittled, and my drive to compete was shut down.”

Defining DiversityRepresentational Diversity vs. Participatory

Diversity

Case of students of mixed ethnic background“Yet I am very white and don’t fit the stereotypes of

being Latino/a - thus, in other people's views, I "take advantage" of where my father is from, and have been told that straight to my face in the past.”

“Growing up, I realized I related more to my Caucasian peers more so than other Asian Americans. I am a strong believer in that the environment an individual is raised in influences their identity. When I came to the University of Illinois, I felt as if my identity would change.  I became a member in the Asian American Association and Korean American Student Association.  Shortly after, I realized neither was for me.” 

Cultural Houses’ Pursuit of Diversity

One of the mission statements [of the African American Cultural Center] states, “To provide opportunities for all students to engage in the vital cultural and social experience of meeting, interacting with, and learning from students of diverse backgrounds.” My experiences for the past three and a half years with the center have rarely involved students of diverse backgrounds. (EPS500 07-4, 2008)

Cultural Houses’ Pursuit of DiversityThe Latino/a community at the time of the formation

of La Casa would, then, seem to be pretty united in a common goal of having cultural programming and a physical house on campus for themselves. However, the Latino/a community today seems to be in a quite different state. Research done by previous students in ANTH 411 have exposed the discrimination some Latino/a students feel towards other Latino/a students, and how ineffective at times the cultural programming here is in accomplishing their mission of “promoting a diverse and welcoming environment that supports full inclusion for all members of the university community” (from the La Casa website). (Kattah, 2008)

Cultural Houses’ Pursuit of Diversity “What kinds of characteristics do people at the [African American Cultural] Center

have?” From the responses the student-researcher noticed that students identified participants as predominantly “active, radical, determined, passionate and upperclassmen.” And the student concluded from this along with her observations that “there is a certain image that is associated with the Blackhouse that may also push others away or make them feel unwelcome. …This image can create stereotypes and thus create a division between people who use the center and people who may want to use it but are skeptical” (EPS500 07-4, 2008).

“I never felt like I belonged,” he answered. “I felt an implicit marginalization within La Casa. I always felt the realization of my lighter skin in that space.” He continued about how he always considered himself Latino, but that he felt he had to justify his cultural background every time he walked through the front door. “I have strong ties with my Puerto Rican roots, and still I felt like I wasn’t Latino enough for them.” M1 stated that alternate perspectives were turned away. “It is a Chicano space. I understand the exclusiveness and the reasons why, but it is still exclusionary.”(Files, 2005)

I saw this at Diwali Night, where everyone I spoke to was an ISA member or family. More importantly, I couldn’t find details on Diwali Night before the event – presumably, most students interested in attending already knew what it was about. During a few performances, cultural references were made that I didn’t comprehend, but the majority of the audience presumably could relate to. ISA’s mission statement draws on a keyword “diverse”. “Diversity”, a widely popular term in the media, particularly in academic and business contexts, is utilized in ISA discourse in the sense of diversity within the organization and within the class of South Asian identity. (Anth411 7-26, 2008)

Cultural Houses’ Pursuit of DiversityMark took this opportunity to join many different

ethnic- based RSOs and to help have a broad view of what it means to be Asian American and what is means to be Indian American. He promotes education and learning between the members of the different groups as well as among the general population on campus. He holds many different officer positions in these different RSOs. …But as a 1.5 generation immigrant, Mark uses these different groups to hone in on his different passions including music. …He has developed a broader base of friendship (AAS 7-08, 2008)

Cultural Houses’ Pursuit of DiversityStudent Researcher: “How concerned are you with teaching

the wider campus community about Indian culture?” ISA office holder: “Right. I think that’s where we kind of

run into trouble with interest and time, and turnout at events and things. It’s not like we can bank on our membership to show up, but they’re more likely to come out to our events. So I think just for practicality purposes we have to kind of stick and cater to things for our member base. As far as reaching out to the community, I think that’s going to take 2 or 3 really solid, very well publicized and very well coordinated big events that we can show to the rest of the community and say “Hey, this is something ISA is putting together, and we’d like you to come and join us and experience it and take the benefit out of it.” But for the most part on an event by event basis it caters mostly to our members.” Okay… He interrupts to add, a bit loudly, “Not that, that’s not a matter of ostracizing others. It’s just a matter of practicality.” (Anth411 7-26, 2008)

Student RecommendationsTo facilitate a move from representational to participatory

diversity

Recommendations in the Archive: www.ideals.uiuc.edu/handle/2142/755

“Another idea that was prompted through this observation is that maybe it isn't just locations that encourage interaction across racial/ethnic groups. Maybe common interest is a better facilitator of interactions across racial lines. Hip-Hop is a music form that has penetrated American society. It has cross the boundaries of racial, economic, gender, and residential classes….After this observation my research has began to evolve from just looking at locations to areas of common interest that band people together across racial/ethnic differences” (Hibbler, 2005).