“Stick With Yourselves; It’s What’s Normal”: The Intergroup Racial Attitudes of Senior, White, Fraternity Men

AbstractSubstantive cross-racial interaction on college campuses has been known to have positive effects on student learning and development (Chang, Astin, & Kim, 2004). However, literature shows that students from different minoritized racial groups often remain separated from majority White groups, such as fraternities, thus prohibiting each group to realize the benefits such interaction could offer (Sidanius, Laar, Levin, & Sinclair, 2004). Utilizing focus group methods, this study investigated the racial attitudes of 20 senior, White, Interfraternity Council men in order to better show how the fraternity culture and experience influence the racial attitudes of members. This study found four themes that help illuminate how racist attitudes are formed and reproduced in these organizations. The implications of this study are useful for student affairs professionals concerned with the ways in which racial dynamics on predominantly White campuses affect the campus climate for diversity and the character de...