Optional Ethnicities: For Whites Only Summary

Self-segregation, or a restricted group of individuals of the same ethnicity, is a prevalent issue on Syracuse University’s campus which is located in Syracuse, New York. It starts during freshman year of college; everyone is starting fresh in an unfamiliar environment where nobody really knows each other. Without actually realizing, individuals make friends with other individuals whom they feel most comfortable with. Although sometimes people break out of this social barrier, the majority of the time it is evident that people who are the same race or share similar characteristics group together. This is reflective upon ethnic identity, how individuals identify themselves; as well as how all aspects of an individual’s life experiences, where

Waters, she introduces the concept of symbolic identity; which Herbert Grans suggests “refers to ethnicity that is individualistic in nature and without real social cost for the individual” (Waters: 1990, 199). She explains how symbolic identifications are influenced by hobbies, rooted through family traditions, and is reinforced through the voluntary aspects that are found enjoyable in a specific ethnicity. One example she uses that represents how symbolic identities are influenced by both enjoyable and voluntary aspects in a certain ethnicity, is how on St. Patrick’s Day, many people identify themselves as being Irish. They are not necessarily Irish; they just claim to be on that specific day every year. These individuals emerge themselves into a piece of the culture, and claim to be a part of something even though it does not actually reflect their ethnic identity. Essentially these individuals keep a tie to an ethnic identity merely for enjoyable aspects associated with that ethnicity; which makes their ethnicity optional. Waters explains how symbolic identities are confined to White Americans, and minorities are not really given the option. She also mentions how the meanings people assign to race or ethnicity differ among minorities than whites. White ethnicities are given the opportunity and choice of how they identify themselves, while remaining socially acceptable in society. They are not influenced by the way they

This is not true; all ethnicities are not equal. Nor are all ethnicities allowed to be symbolic, costless, or voluntary. Personally as a minority student at Syracuse University, it is clear this concept directly relates to how different races segregate themselves. Specifically, I was born and raised in Syracuse, New York which is a very diverse community. I attended a high school with a wide variety of different ethnicities, so I never really saw myself segregating to a specific group. Before I came to college I already knew that I would be around people who were different from me, but what I did not realize was that other people were not exposed to diversity in the ways I was. During freshman year it was easy to make friends, but as the year progressed it was clear that people did indeed segregate themselves. If it does not specifically reflect their ethnic background, it is influenced by where they are from and their interests. Although I did not realize it then, I can now see that I too segregate. Out of all of the friends I started with, I ended up remaining friends with only people I felt most comfortable with; who shared similar characteristics and beliefs as me. This can be seen all over campus. Just by walking into a dining hall on campus, it is clear that there is a racial divide among