The experience of "whiteness" among Canadian university students : invisibility, guilt, and indifference
Date
2008-04-10T06:03:16Z
Authors
Norton, Jade Anna.
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Abstract
This thesis examines issues surrounding race, ethnicity and, most specifically, whiteness. Beginning with an examination of the relevant theoretical perspectives and research related to whiteness, the project shifts to an empirical study examining actual experiences of white individuals in a given social context. 16 self-identified white students at the University of Victoria from varying disciplines voluntarily participated in interviews pertaining to their experience of university-life. Many themes were elicited and discovered. Among them are: expressions of invisibility, guilt, and most significantly, indifference, along with common discussions of privilege, power, and interactions with other groups on campus. The paper ends with a brief discussion with a non-white observer who gives his perspective on the themes elicited by the white student interview participants, and some concluding implications.