Multiethnic Children Portrayed in Children’s Picture Books

Posted in Articles, Family/Parenting, Literary/Artistic Criticism, Media Archive, Social Work, Teaching Resources on 2010-12-10 03:29Z by Steven

Multiethnic Children Portrayed in Children’s Picture Books

Child and Adolescent Social Work Journal
Volume 17, Number 4, (August 2000)
pages 305-317
DOI: 10.1023/A:1007550124043

Erin Michelle Cole
Department of Social Work
University of Wyoming

Deborah P. Valentine, Director and Professor of Social Work
Colorado State University

The portrayal of multiethnic children in picture books provides a unique opportunity for social workers, other helping professionals, and parents to work more effectively with a population of preschool multiethnic children. Twenty-two picture books portraying multiethnic children and their families are identified and evaluated. Their relevance for social work practice with children and families is discussed.

Read the entire article here.

Tags: , , , , ,

Biracial Identity Theory and Research Juxtaposed with Narrative Accounts of a Biracial Individual

Posted in Articles, Canada, Identity Development/Psychology, Media Archive, Social Work, United States on 2010-08-16 21:03Z by Steven

Biracial Identity Theory and Research Juxtaposed with Narrative Accounts of a Biracial Individual

Child and Adolescent Social Work Journal
Volume 27, Number 5 (October 2010)
pages 355-364
DOI: 10.1007/s10560-010-0209-6

Simon Nuttgens, Professor of Psychology
Athabasca University, Alberta, Canada

With the increase in mixed-racial parentage in North America comes increased scholarly activity intended to bring greater understanding to the biracial experience. Such efforts, while undoubtedly informative and helpful, fall short when set aside the actual narrative accounts of a biracial individual’s life experience. In this paper I first explore the typical, negative, portrayal of the biracial experience found within social scientific literature, and then compare this with the narrative accounts of a biracial individual. Through this exercise it is shown that factors such as the specific racial parentage and socio-cultural context can have a positive effect on what usually is viewed as a problematic psychosocial experience.

Read or purchase the article here.

Tags: ,

Biracial identity and social marginality

Posted in Articles, Identity Development/Psychology, Media Archive, Social Science, United States on 2010-03-20 16:44Z by Steven

Biracial identity and social marginality

Child and Adolescent Social Work Journal
Issue Volume 7, Number 4 (August, 1990)
Pages 319-337
Print ISSN: 0738-0151, Online ISSN: 1573-2797
DOI 10.1007/BF00757029

Philip M. Brown
Phoebe Hart House, Portsmouth, New Hampshire

This comparative analysis of classic and recent literature explores the developmental and social implications of biracial identity in the U.S. Though specific attention was given to Black-White biracial persons, a broader analysis yielded some surprising insights into the nature and implications of the biracial personality and the accompanying differences in interpersonal styles and social relationships.

Despite the persistent cultural stereotypes depicting the United States as a cultural melting pot, rigid divisions between economic, class, racial and ethnic groups endure. Ours is a heavily stratified society with distinct boundaries and rigid barriers around socially defined groups, roles and status positions. These circumstances are difficult enough for Blacks, Hispanics, Native Americans and other groups who do not fit neatly into mainstream White society (and are, therefore, socially marginal). However, what happens to those individuals whose racial and cultural heritage is rooted in both White and non-White groups? These individuals belong to both while simultaneously not fully belonging to either (e.g. Black and Caucasian). Dual racial identity likewise implies a dual ethnic and cultural focus as well. For the biracial person these two cultural connections are reflected in the type of life one leads; the nature of one’s achievements and failures; as well as other social attitudes and aspirations…

Read or purchase the article here.

Tags: ,