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LET'S GIVE THEM SOMETHING TO TALK ABOUT: EXPLORING RACISM AND RACIAL TENSIONS AS POTENTIAL FACE THREATS IN BLACK AND WHITE INTERRACIAL RELATIONSHIPS.

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Date Issued:
2008
Abstract/Description:
This study examined how racism and racial tensions potentially threatened the face needs of Black and White interracial couples. Specifically, this study investigated the benefit of family approval of one's interracial relationship. Couples use of corrective face work in response to prejudice was also examined. This research used a qualitative, interpretive method to gather and analyze data from 14 personal interviews. The interview schedule enabled interviewees to use storytelling to share their experience of being in a Black and White interracial relationship. Interviewees were asked questions surrounding their experience as the partner in an interracial relationship. Couples shared how they told their family that their romantic partner was a different race and shared how they encountered prejudice when they are out in public. Further, they spoke about how people stare at them and make comments about their interracial relationship. The data underwent a thematic analysis (Owen, 1984) where I reviewed the data and searched for themes that were recurrent and repeated by interviewees. There were several themes that emerged. First, the very presence of racial tensions and racism affects interracial couples. Second, family support seemed to mitigate threats to couples' positive and negative faces and enabled couples to engage in open and honest dialogue with their family and their significant other. Finally, even couples with family support, engaged in corrective face work to respond to the face threats posed by racism and racial tensions.
Title: LET'S GIVE THEM SOMETHING TO TALK ABOUT: EXPLORING RACISM AND RACIAL TENSIONS AS POTENTIAL FACE THREATS IN BLACK AND WHITE INTERRACIAL RELATIONSHIPS.
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Name(s): Castle, Gina, Author
Hastings, Sally O., Committee Chair
University of Central Florida, Degree Grantor
Type of Resource: text
Date Issued: 2008
Publisher: University of Central Florida
Language(s): English
Abstract/Description: This study examined how racism and racial tensions potentially threatened the face needs of Black and White interracial couples. Specifically, this study investigated the benefit of family approval of one's interracial relationship. Couples use of corrective face work in response to prejudice was also examined. This research used a qualitative, interpretive method to gather and analyze data from 14 personal interviews. The interview schedule enabled interviewees to use storytelling to share their experience of being in a Black and White interracial relationship. Interviewees were asked questions surrounding their experience as the partner in an interracial relationship. Couples shared how they told their family that their romantic partner was a different race and shared how they encountered prejudice when they are out in public. Further, they spoke about how people stare at them and make comments about their interracial relationship. The data underwent a thematic analysis (Owen, 1984) where I reviewed the data and searched for themes that were recurrent and repeated by interviewees. There were several themes that emerged. First, the very presence of racial tensions and racism affects interracial couples. Second, family support seemed to mitigate threats to couples' positive and negative faces and enabled couples to engage in open and honest dialogue with their family and their significant other. Finally, even couples with family support, engaged in corrective face work to respond to the face threats posed by racism and racial tensions.
Identifier: CFE0002441 (IID), ucf:52884 (fedora)
Note(s): 2008-12-01
M.A.
Sciences, Nicholson School of Communication
Masters
This record was generated from author submitted information.
Subject(s): Racism
Interracial Relationships
Face Work
Face Threats
Black
White
Racial Tensions
Corrective Face Work
Face Threatening
Persistent Link to This Record: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0002441
Restrictions on Access: campus 2009-11-01
Host Institution: UCF

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