Constructing "Race" Through Talk: A Micro-ethnographic investigation of discussions of "race" among African American secondary students

Abstract

This micro-ethnographic research project examines discussions of "race" among African American secondary students. More specifically, this project focuses on how "race" is constituted in school settings, and the ways in which both students and teachers construct "race" through talk. Framed by sociolinguistic ethnography, critical race theory, and narrative theory, I investigate uses of narrative as a heuristic for connecting discussions of "race" to the ways students present their experiences with everyday life. The findings from this research project demonstrates that discussions of "race" happin in classroom settings and among students in several ways. Some of these discussions are a result of curriculum choices, and teacehrs' perspectives of teaching African American students inform other types of discussions. Students engage in discussions of "race" as a means to critique or challenge the wide ranges of ways "race" is presented to them in and out of school. I conclude that "race" is constructed based on either the social interactions students have or based on how student veiw themselves in relationship to other racialized communities.