ABSTRACT

This article theorizes the concept of racial microaffirmations and illustrates different microaffirmation types. We report findings from a study that employed narrative interviews to solicit stories from racially minoritized students at a predominantly white university. Participants included 16 graduate students and 18 undergraduate students who identified as African-American, Latinx or mixed race. Students shared microaffirmations that they experienced related to their racial identities. We developed a typology of four microaffirmation types from the students’ stories: microrecognitions, microvalidations, microtransformations and microprotections. Drawing on the students’ stories, we further define each microaffirmation type and root the typology in the foundational elements of Critical Race/LatCrit theoretical framework. This study offers concrete examples of experiences university students found affirming that are helpful to practitioners seeking to better understand what racial microaffirmations are and ways they may be promoted. This work also expands the literature on microaffirmations and points to areas that need further research.

摘要

本文对种族微确认的概念进行了理论化，并说明了不同的微确认类型。我们报告了一项研究的发现，该研究采用叙述性访谈的方式从一所以白人为主的大学中的少数族裔学生那里获取故事。参加者包括16名研究生和18名本科生，他们被确定为非裔美国人，拉丁人或混合种族。学生分享他们所经历的与种族身份有关的微肯定。我们根据学生的故事发展了四种微确认类型的类型学：微识别，微验证，微转化和微保护。根据学生的故事，我们进一步定义每种微肯定的类型，并将类型学植根于Critical Race / LatCrit理论框架的基础元素中。这项研究提供了大学生肯定的经验的具体例子，这些经验有助于寻求更好地理解什么是种族微证的人以及可以如何促进他们的实践者。这项工作还扩大了有关微肯定的文献，并指出了需要进一步研究的领域。