McNair Scholar 2020 Serena L. Armstrong
Serena L. Armstrong is a senior at the University of Minnesota, Twin-Cities, double majoring in Sociology of Law, Criminology, and Deviance and Psychology. Her research interests involve the inequalities surrounding the healthcare, criminal justice, and education systems. She plans on getting her Ph.D. in Sociology and Public Policy through a joint graduate program.
My dream is to obtain a joint PhD in Sociology and in Public Policy. I want to use this to impact policies that historically have oppressed certain populations, namely in healthcare, education, and the criminal justice system.
Research project
Examining How Racial-Ethnic Socialization Transcends Beyond Socioeconomic Status - K.I.D.S PROJECT
Abstract: Racial Socialization is often thought of as direct teachings in families that live in lower class neighborhoods. However, racial socialization can also include indirect teachings within families that communicate values & beliefs, such as the choice to avoid discussions about race or race-related issues. This study examines how racial socialization goes beyond this notion and occurs across socioeconomic class, whether direct or indirect, and happens within and outside of families. To do this, semi-structured interviews of children from the larger Kids Involvement and Diversity Study (K.I.D.S) were coded and analyzed using the qualitative program NVivo. The preliminary results show that racial socialization does extend beyond socioeconomic status and that race is the dominant predictor of how kids talk about race in relation to their extracurricular activities. This is shown through themes throughout the interviews such as color-blind ideologies, recognizing differential treatment, and engaging with co-ethnics in these activities.
Faculty mentor
Dr. Teresa T. Swartz is an associate professor in the Sociology Department and Director of the Asian American Studies Program at the University of Minnesota. Dr. Swartz attended the University of California, San Diego where she received her Ph.D. in Sociology in 2001. Her current research focuses on families, intergenerational relations, social inequality, Asian American studies, gender, and youth and young adulthood. Dr. Swartz’s research has been published two books, and her work has appeared in numerous journals including the Annual Review of Sociology, Gender & Society, Race and Social Problems, Journal of Marriage and Family, and international conferences. Dr. Swartz has been a returning McNair faculty mentor for over 10 years.