Biracial youth’s political views, self-identification examined

With the mixed-race population rapidly increasing in the United States, Stanford political scientist Lauren Davenport says it's important to figure out what factors shape this group's political attitudes and self-identification. Biracial youth who identify with the races of both of their parents tend to be more socially progressive and liberal than their peers who are of a single racial background, according to new research from a Stanford political scientist. Political scientist Lauren Davenport examines multiracial groups in the United States and their political views in her new book. (Image credit: L.A. Cicero) The multiracial population is one of the fastest-growing groups in the United States, said Lauren Davenport , an assistant professor of political science. Curious to know more about how this group aligns politically, Davenport analyzed data from the U.S. Census and national surveys of college students. She also conducted in-depth interviews with biracial youth to explain what factors into their self-identification and shapes their political attitudes. Davenport found that gender and socioeconomic status are among the strongest predictors of how a person of mixed race chooses to identify. Biracial women are more likely than men to identify with both of their races rather than one, and biracial people from more affluent backgrounds are more likely to identify as just white. Davenport discusses her findings and their implications for America's future in her new book, Politics Beyond Black and White , available March 29. Stanford News Service interviewed Davenport about her research. How did you embark on this research project?