Subject: Design
It is critical to understand the composition of the American population. Composition of people is part of design as it shows how people relate to each other. The research paper will discuss the American identity crisis. It will further define critical terms, goals, and justifications. Furthermore, it will establish the impact of the crisis as well as highlight how the crisis is being resolved. It is vital to comprehend the term ‘identity crisis.' The Webster’s New World Dictionary , defines the identity crisis as the state of being unsure of an individual’s feelings about oneself especially about goals, character, and origins taking place primarily in adolescence because of being raised up under disruptive and fast-changing conditions (Neufeld and Sparks, 2002)
Thesis: Increased intermarriage among American citizens of different races has raised questions about the true identity of the next generation.
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To begin, it is critical to have an idea of the crisis as presented by different sources. This section gives an overview of some of the authors, books, and ideas that will be examined in detail in the research paper. Experts analyze that the multiracial population in the US is increasing and will be even higher in the future. Sixty nine percent of the US population consists of the Non-Hispanic whites who also maintain and control a significant fiscal and political power. The US census predicts that by 2059 there will no longer be a white majority in America (Bowels, 1993). The US census further reveals that the US can no longer be described as a nation with whites and blacks but instead a multiracial country in which people identify themselves with one or more races. Former US president Barrack Obama is an excellent example of a multiracial individual. Interestingly, Obama identifies himself as a black American citizen.
Scholars such as Arbodela have suggested that race and racial identification in children is a factor that contributes to having racial awareness in adults. Erikson’s theory posits that as children advance in age and have a clear comprehension of their responsibilities in society, they start to change their way of cognitive thinking (Hutchison, 2008). When children continue to develop, their knowledge of the worlds social views also gets clear. To identify their niche in the society, they have to discover themselves socially. There have been difficulties in racial identification experienced by people of mixed race. Maria Root in her Racially Mixed People in America book suggests that when a multiracial individual decides to belong to a specific group, the particular group must accept that person as well as his or her physical features. A case in point is the African American culture that welcomed Obama because his physical characteristics were same as their own (Root, 1992).
Racial identification and classification have been an issue of national concern in the US for a long time. The problem became a legal matter at the time of slavery, and a constitutional subject at the time of Reconstruction. All slaves were given citizenship during the Fourteenth Amendment to the US constitution. However, recognition of multiracial people ended during the Reconstruction period. People with multiracial identity were given the same privileges as whites before Reconstruction except that they were not permitted to take part in electing leaders or holding gatherings in some parts of the South.
Individuals of any skin color, language, or religion residing in America can claim to be American although their self-identity may be disputed. There exist a lot of different descriptions of who and who is not American, leading to uncertainties when classifying individuals (Owen, 2005). Currently, the emerging trend leans towards acceptability of every person, even those with minority viewpoints. This pattern proves that America is moving in the right direction. As time progresses, America could witness the dissolution of identity. America shortly could be the pioneer of a global society where many characteristics on which the roots of many characters rely on will be broken.
To conclude, the research paper will analyze the various viewpoints advanced by various scholars such as the ones mentioned above. Terms such as multiracial and self-identity will be examined in detail. Moreover, the research paper will be designed for the readership of every American citizen. People will be able to understand what the identity crisis is all about, the cause and the solution. A list of some of the scholars that will be examined is provided on the references page.
References
Bowles, D. Dorcas E.D. (1993). Bi-Racial Identity: children born to African American and White couples . Human Science Press, Inc.
Hutchison, Elizabeth D. (2008). Dimensions of Human Behavior person and environment. Los Angeles: Virginia commonwealth University Press.
Neufeldt, V., & Sparks, A. N. (Eds.). (2002). Webster's new world dictionary . Simon and Schuster.
Owen, D. (2005). “American Identity, Citizenship, and Multiculturalism” Unpublished http://www.civiced.org/pdfs/germanPaper0905/DianaOwen2005.pdf
Root, P.P. 1992). Racially Mixed people in America . Sage Publications, Inc.
