Through writing for publication, a biracial, bicultural, bilingual adolescent explores identity and normalcy
Subtitle: Sarah in her own words.
Published: 2004
Language: eng
Number of pages: 249
Subjects: Biculturalism.; Bilingualism.; Racially mixed people.; Identity (Psychology) in youth.; Ethnicity.; Self-perception in adolescence.; Teenagers' writings.
Description: This research attempts to fill gaps in the literature concerned with language and identity of interracial, intercultural, bilingual individuals. First, the literature is dominated by black-white racial mixing in the U.S. context. Other racial mixes in other contexts receive scant attention. Second, perhaps because the literature is dominated by U.S.-based research, little attention is paid to language in the context of being interracial. Third, research has made little use of these individuals' own voices. Therefore, I invited mixed race individuals who grew up in Japan and Canada to contribute to a collection of writing about their experiences as interracial, intercultural, bilingual individuals growing up and going to school in Japan or Canada.This research attempts to apply activity theory in the analysis of the data of one writer, Sarah, to examine the relationship of the individual to the social structures or institutions that make up her worlds. As I understand and use activity theory, it provides a temporary and permeable boundary for the phenomena I wish to examine. Activity theory presents a way of identifying and tracing the interaction of individuals with social constructions, particularly through the flow of artifacts, in this case the drafts of Sarah's writing. Activity theory also has limitations. I hope to be able to identify the strengths and limitations by the end of this analysis.This research also attempts to break ground in research methodology by gathering the data through a writing-for-publication process. I engaged in a collaboration with twenty-three students as writers with the goal of producing publishable prose. The young people participated simultaneously as writers and research participants. I worked simultaneously as an editor and a researcher. Through the process of writing and editing individuals constructed the self they wish others to see and recognize. This thesis presents one of those writers, her writing and editing. The thesis is my attempt to show the complexity, dynamism, and ongoingness of that process of self construction rather than a reductive, static, consideration of the variables affecting language and identity development.
Notes: Adviser: Merrill Swain.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Toronto, 2004.

Electronic version licensed for access by U. of T. users.

Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 65-10, Section: A, page: 3663.