When Race and Religion Hit Campus: An Ethnographic Study of Racial Dynamics in a Religious Student Organization

Team Members/Contributors

Julie Jinwon Park University of California, Los Angeles Contact Me

About this dissertation fellowship

This dissertation examines the influence of racial/ethnic identity on the religious and spiritual development of college students participating in a multiethnic, multiracial campus religious organization. Some previous examinations of campus fellowships and racial identity have asked why students on diverse campuses choose to form racially homogeneous campus religious organizations. However, I seek to understand what motivates students to engage in multiethnic, multiracial Christian campus groups, their experiences in them, and the challenges that such groups face. Data for the dissertation will ultimately include a year and a half of participant observation, approximately forty interviews, and document analysis of over five hundred emails. My dissertation argues that it is critical for both American educational and religious institutions to foster multiethnic, multiracial communities where students can experience meaningful interactions and relationships across race. Both American religious institutions and institutions of higher education remain racially fractured in the 21st century, and racially heterogeneous campus fellowships represent a sphere of possibility for people of faith to bridge racial divides. However, in documenting some of the challenges to fostering these communities, I contend that creating and sustaining such communities requires a high level of intentionality and sacrifice.

Image Title Year Type Contributor(s) Other Info
  "When Race and Religion Hit Campus: An Ethnographic Examination of a Campus Religious Organization" 2009 Dissertation Julie Jinwon Park