Navigating a Multiracial Identity in Agricultural Education: The Impact of Racial Imposter Phenomenon
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5032/jae.v67i2.3026Keywords:
imposter phenomenon, multiracial, racial imposter phenomenon, assimilation, agricultural education, FFA, imposterAbstract
The racial demographic of the United States is changing, and the increase in multiracial children is substantial. This study explores the experiences of multiracial graduates from secondary agricultural education programs, focusing on the presence of the racial impostor phenomenon (Racial IP) related to their multiracial identities. With nearly half of the multiracial population in the U.S. under 18, understanding the racial dynamics faced by multiracial youth is essential, particularly in educational contexts where monoracial norms often prevail. This multiple-case, qualitative study involved in-depth interviews with eight multiracial individuals, all graduates of secondary agricultural education. The study's theoretical framework leverages Clance’s and Imes’s (1978) impostor phenomenon, adapted to explore how racial impostorism influences multiracial individuals’ identities in predominantly White educational settings. Findings indicated that all participants exhibited at least two dimensions of IP, with four dimensions frequently observed: Need to Be Special / The Very Best, Superwoman/Superman Aspects, Fear of Failure, and Denial of Competence and Denial of Praise. Participants shared complex experiences navigating their identities, often feeling pressure to conform to monoracial expectations while facing doubts about their racial authenticity. These feelings were exacerbated in contexts where societal perceptions clashed with their self-identifications, leading to internalized impostorism. The study’s findings highlighted the need for inclusive educational practices that support multiracial students’ self-identification and belonging, suggesting that educational structures should recognize and affirm multiracial identities to mitigate racial IP and foster inclusivity.
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