Abstract

This study explores the notion of racial empathy and whether or not the nonadopted white siblings in transracially adoptive families develop the ability to empathize within the context of race. Specifically, I look at the following three questions: Do white siblings who have black adopted siblings develop racial empathy – the ability for one to personally identify with racially sensitive issues that affect persons of a separate racial category – toward blacks outside of their family by virtue of their interactions with the adoptee? What are the different dimensions of racial empathy? How is racial empathy displayed at each dimension? Participants are interviewed in-depth about their experiences being reared with black siblings. Ten out of 15 participants developed racial empathy in at least one dimension by virtue of having black adopted siblings. This is a limited sample (e.g. gender, class, religious affiliation) and the findings cannot be extrapolated; however, these findings suggest that further research needs to be conducted on racial empathy, as well as the nonadopted white siblings.

Degree

MS

College and Department

Family, Home, and Social Sciences; Sociology

Rights

http://lib.byu.edu/about/copyright/

Date Submitted

2010-07-09

Document Type

Thesis

Handle

http://hdl.lib.byu.edu/1877/etd3774

Keywords

adoption, transracial adoption, nonadopted white siblings, black siblings, inter-racial adoption, racial empathy, empathy, race, Oreos, trans-cultural adoption

Language

English

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Sociology Commons

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