UCLA

Race-conscious admissions policies have been debated throughout the years. It has been well-documented that members of the Asian American community have differing opinions on the policy (e.g., Poon et al., 2019; Takagi, 1992). Given these differing opinions, the purpose of this study was to understand the connections between identity and racial ideology and their impact on an individual’s opinion regarding race-conscious admissions. To explore the relationship between identity, ideology, and opinion, I investigated the four components of racial consciousness defined by Sellers et al.’s (1998) multidimensional model of racial identity.

Findings indicated three forms of racial consciousness: race-avoidant, within-group, and collective liberation. Each form of consciousness is informed by different areas of literature, including literature on discrimination, racial identity, racial ideology, and attitudes regarding one’s racial group. Characteristics of race-avoidant consciousness include a sense of inferiority to white norms, a cultural connection to racial identity, color-evasive ideologies to address racial inequities, and alignment with whiteness. Key characteristics of within-group consciousness include a sense of inferiority to white norms, a cultural connection to racial identity, and a focus on Asian American-specific issues, such as data disaggregation and socioeconomic stratification. Collective liberation consciousness is defined by a political connection to racial identity, a belief that race is entwined with all other identities and ideologies, and a sense of solidarity with other communities of color.

The three forms of racial consciousness highlight the various ways Asian American college students make connections between their experiences with race and their opinion on race-conscious admissions. Without building critical racial consciousness, differing opinions within the Asian American community can unintentionally detract from important policies and have long-lasting and dangerous implications for racial justice.