Fatema Kermali
DARE Project: Expanding our monoracial lens: Exploring the experiences of multi-racial people in the workplace
Program(s) of Study: Human Resource Management & Psychology
Project Supervisor: Marie-Hélène Budworth
I hope this research encourages organizations to move beyond simplistic, one-dimensional understandings of race and identity.
Project Description:
My DARE research project was designed to address a gap in organizational scholarship, where much of the existing research on race and workplace experiences has focused within a mono-racial framework; meaning it primarily centres the experiences of individuals who identify as being from a single racial background. However, with the number of multiracial individuals in North America and globally growing rapidly, there is an increasing need to understand how multiracial identity shapes workplace experiences, and how current diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives may or may not be meeting their unique needs. The bulk of the project was focused on conducting an exploratory qualitative study, where we interviewed individuals who identify as biracial or multiracial about their personal experiences at work. The interviews focused on key research questions around identity, perceptions of others, and experiences of multiracial individuals in the workplace, with a focus on inclusion and exclusion. As a research assistant, I was involved in multiple aspects of the project. I assisted in recruiting participants for the study, which involved identifying and reaching out to online communities, social media groups, and networks aimed at multiracial and biracial individuals. Another key part of my role was reviewing interview transcripts for accuracy. I would listen to the interview recordings while simultaneously reviewing their automated digital transcriptions, ensuring that the transcripts accurately reflected what was said, and ensuring identifying information was anonymous in the process. This project gave me the opportunity to gain valuable experience in qualitative research, participant recruitment, data management, and research administration. It also deepened my understanding of issues related to race, identity, and inclusion in organizational settings, and gave me firsthand insight into how research is conducted in an academic setting from start to finish.The Dean’s Award for Research Excellence (DARE) - Undergraduate enables our students to meaningfully engage in research projects supervised by LA&PS faculty members. Find out more about DARE.