Doctoral Dissertation Research: Native and Non-Native Group Interactions

威廉·威尔逊杰弗里·丹尼斯哈佛大学虽然许多研究都考察了黑人与白人的关系以及新移民融入大城市的情况，但最近很少有人关注土著与非土著的关系。这个项目调查了安大略省北部一个小镇上的原住民、姆姆萨迪人和非土著居民在日常生活中如何建造和协商边界和桥梁。最初的观察揭示了一个悖论：高水平的群体间婚姻、友谊和合作似乎与普遍存在的偏见和歧视并存。这一发现似乎违反了社会科学的主流范式，即持续的群体间接触应该打破种族偏见（Allport, 1954; Pettigrew & Tropp, 2006）。为了理解这种矛盾情况背后的机制，研究者采用了三种研究方法，包括在当地志愿团体和社区活动中进行18个月的参与者观察，对当地居民进行120次深度访谈，以及一个创新的“照片声音”项目（Wang et al ., 1996），在这个项目中，给12个原住民、msamutis和白人居民提供相机，并要求他们拍摄和讨论关于“身份”和“边界和桥梁”主题的照片。这项研究的结果将有助于阐明在其他背景下解释种族关系的理论（例如，奴隶制和种族隔离或移民排斥的历史）在多大程度上提高了我们对这种情况的理解或需要修改。更广泛地说，北美的未来取决于今天土著和非土著人民修复他们的关系的能力，这种关系在历史上受到殖民主义和强制同化政策的破坏。本研究的见解可能对改善群体互动和克服安大略省北部地区的种族主义具有实际意义，这些地区的土著和非土著人口在相似的历史背景下共存。

SES-0927042William WilsonJeffrey DenisHarvard UniversityWhile many studies have examined black-white relations and the incorporation of new immigrants into big cities, few recently have focused on indigenous-non-indigenous relations. This project investigates how First Nations, Métis and non-Native residents of a small town in Northern Ontario construct and negotiate boundaries and bridges in their daily lives. Initial observations reveal a paradox: high levels of inter-group marriage, friendship and collaboration appear to co-exist with pervasive prejudice and discrimination. This finding seems to violate the dominant paradigm in social science whereby ongoing inter-group contact should break down racial bias (Allport, 1954; Pettigrew & Tropp, 2006). To understand the mechanisms underlying this paradoxical situation, the investigator applies three research methods, including 18 months of participant-observation in local voluntary groups and community events, 120 in-depth interviews with area residents, and an innovative "photovoice" project (Wang et al, 1996) in which 12 First Nations, Métis and white residents were given cameras and asked to take and discuss pictures on the themes of "identity" and "boundaries and bridges." The results of this study will help illuminate the degree to which theories developed to explain race relations in other contexts (e.g., histories of slavery and segregation or immigrant exclusion) improve our understanding in this case or require revision. More broadly, the future of North America depends on the ability of Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people today to repair their relationship, historically damaged by colonialism and forced assimilation policies. Insights from this study may have practical implications for improving group interactions and overcoming racism in settings well beyond Northern Ontario where indigenous and non-indigenous populations co-exist in similar historical contexts.