ERIC ED453906: Society for Research in Child Development Newsletter. 1999.

51 Pages·1999·1.2 MB·English

by  ERIC

DOCUMENT RESUME
PS 029 290
ED 453 906
Reid, Pamela Trotman, Ed.
AUTHOR
Society for Research in Child Development Newsletter. 1999.
TITLE
INSTITUTION Society for Research in Child Development.
PUB DATE
1999-00-00
NOTE
50p.; Published three times a year. For 1998 issues, see ED
427 849.
AVAILABLE FROM Society for Research in Child Development, University of
Michigan, 505 East Huron, Suite 301, Ann Arbor,°MI
48104-1522; Tel: [phone]; Fax: [phone]; e-mail:
[email protected]; Web site: http://www.srcd.org,
PUB TYPE
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Society for Research in Child Development; v42 n1-3 Win-Fall
JOURNAL CIT
1999
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*Child Development; Children; Context Effect; *Developmental
DESCRIPTORS
Psychology; Ethics; Financial Support; Information
Dissemination; Newsletters; Organizations (Groups);
*Professional Development; *Public Policy
*Society for Research in Child Development
IDENTIFIERS
ABSTRACT
This document consists of the three 1999 issues of a
newsletter disseminating information on the Society for Research in Child
Development and providing a forum for important news, research, and
information concerning advancements in child growth and development research.
Each issue of the newsletter includes announcements and notices of
conferences, workshops, position openings, fellowships, and member
obituaries. The Winter 1999 issue contains the following articles:
(1)
"Program Committee Plans for the 1999 Biennial Meeting";
"Previews of
(2)
(3) "Developmental Psychology in Its Social and
Biennial Meeting Events";
"Giving Child
Cultural Context"; "Report from Washington"; and (5)
(4)
Development Knowledge Away." The Spring 1999 issue contains the following
"Message from the President...Professor Sir Michael Rutter";
articles:
(1)
"News from the Executive Branch Policy Fellows"; "Changes in Maternal
(3)
(2)
and Child Health Bureau Research Program. Report from Washington."; and (4)
"Preparing Successful Proposals for Institutional Review Boards: Challenges
and Prospects for Developmental Scientists. Ethical Issues Related to
Developmental Research and Its Applications." The Fall 1999 issue contains
"Commentary for the Behavioral Science Working
the following articles:
(1)
Group of NIMH"; and (2)
"Mentoring for the Millennium." (KB)
Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made
from the original document.
Society for Research in Child
Development Newsletter, 1999
Volume 42
Numbers 1-2
Winter-Fall 1999
Editor: Pamela Trotman Reid
Society for Research in Child
Development
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE AND
Office of Educational Research and Improvement
DISSEMINATE THIS MATERIAL HAS
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TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES
Points of view or opinions stated in this
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document do not necessarily represent
official OERI position or policy.
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BEST COPY AVOW)
SOCIETY FOR RESEARCH IN
CHILD DEVELOPMENT
NEWSLETTER
VOLUME 42, NUMBER
I
WINTER 1999
Program Committee
Plans for the
1999
Biennial Meeting
HE 1999 BIENNIAL
Meeting of the Society for
Research in Child Devel-
opment will be held in Albu-
querque, New Mexico, April
15-18, 1999. The program includes over
z,600 submitted symposia, posters, and
discussion sessions, representing the work
of over 5,000 authors. Participants will
come from all over the world, with more
than 900 from countries outside the U.S.
Invited presentations cover topics such
as the role of stereotypes in shaping intel-
lectual identity and performance by
Claude Steele; experience, brain develop-
ment, and links to mental retardation by
producer, Lewis Bernstein. The program cov-
- William Greenough; and the Israeli-
ers a wider variety of cross cultural topics than
Palestinian Sesame Street project by the
have previous meetings.
ONISOE:DE
Previews of Biennial Meeting Events
Report from Washington
2
9
Millenium Fellows Program
2
"Giving Child Development
Your Message and the Media Workshop
Knowledge Away"
12.
Student Network Events
3
Entering the Academic Marketplace
SRCD Notices
3
14
Indian Pueblo Culture Center
3
Benjamin Spock: A Two-Century Man
Los Amigos Round Up
4
15
BETTYE CALDWELL
Student Lunch with the Leaders
4
Biennial Meeting Alerts
SRCD Member Obituaries
15
4
Developmental Psychology in Its Social and
Biennial Meeting Forms
16
Cultural Context
Announcements
22
ADELE DIAMOND
5
0
999 SOCIETY FOR RESEARCH IN CHILD DEVELOPMENT. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Previews of Biennial
Meeting Events
ready committed doctoral students will be in-
Society Seeks Minority Students for the
vited to serve as inspiration and models for
SCICD Millennium Fellows Program
younger students; they will receive a modest
travel stipend. These junior mentors will be
THE SOCIETY FOR RESEARCH. IN
Child Development has initiated a new
asked to provide direction and support for
minority student recruitment program
four younger students during and after the
whose purpose is to increase the number of
conference. They will also have an opportunity
minority group professionals in child develop-
to present their research at a student sympo-
ment careers. The Society will host at least zo
sium and to interact with the senior mentors as
students who will be matched with volunteer
we develop new ways to encourage and sup-
senior mentors at the spring's
port the younger students' career
meeting in Albuquerquewith
development.
You have an opportunity to
your help!
"Our purpose is to
Invited students will be fully
reach out to students who may
supported to attend the SRCD
lack a mentoring relationship, or
attract and involve
meetings, but the program offers
who may be interested in a child
more than just a scholarship or
development-oriented career and
students who are not
not know what steps to take to
travel grant. It will also include a
yet fully committed
day and a half of preconference,
realize their goal. The focus of
orientation-type lectures, social
our recruitment energy will re-
to a child
events, and outings to child de-
main on those students not yet
velopment-oriented sites. Under-
committed to a career path.
development-oriented
graduate and beginning master's-
We are asking for your help
level graduate students are eligi-
in identifying appropriate stu-
career."
dents. Students will receive appli-
ble.
Our purpose is to attract and
cation information from us, or
involve students who are not yet
they may download it from the
fully committed to a child development-ori-
SRCD website www.journals.uchicago.edu
ented career. Finding those students is the
/SRCD /srcdhome.html [in the near future,
paramount task. A good example of the stu-
www.srcd.org]. Along with an application
dent we seek would be the junior undergradu-
form, students will be asked to submit a letter
ate or beginning master's-level graduate stu-
of recommendation and an unofficial copy of
dent who is assisting in a research lab or serv-
their transcript. This information must be re-
ing as a child policy intern for financial sup-
turned no later than February 17, 1999. Final
port, not yet out of a strong personal interest
decisions will be made by March 12, 1999.
in the field. Another pool of students would be
For further information or to refer
those at historically minority colleges and uni-
students who may benefit from this support
versities who have shown an interest in child
program, please contact LaRue Allen at
development but are unsure of their future
[email protected]
plans and could find inspiration at the Albu-
querque meeting. Thus, students already en-
Learn About Strategies for Getting Your
rolled in a doctoral program in a field related
Message Out to the Media
to child development are not eligible for
Millennium Fellow status.
THIS HANDS-ON WORKSHOP,
In addition to the pool of undergraduate
organized by the SRCD Committee on
and master's-level graduate students, five al-
Child Development, Public Policy, and
4
2
scholars interested in combining re-
Public Information, will focus
search and policy.
on how research makes its
way into the popular press
A reception for network par-
(z)
and how we can make findings
ticipants, network supporters, and
more media friendly. The
j
their guests that is scheduled to im-
workshop will also help re-
mediately follow the conversation
searchers understand journal-
hour. Refreshments
ists' perspective and the nature
and a relaxed atmosphere for intro-
of their job.
ductions, exchanges, and conversa-
More and more research-
tions are provided.
0
ers are being approached by
0
the media to tell the public
The Conversation Hour will be held
what research has to say about
on Friday, 4:3o-5:zo, in the La Cienega Room,
the various issues of children's lives. To improve
with the reception to follow.
policy and programming on children's behalf
and to inform the public of the value of devel-
Entering the Academic Market Place:
opmental research, researchers have to become
A Guide for the Perplexed
more effective in getting their message out to
the media.
THIS PRECONFERENCE WORKSHOP is
A panel of media consultants, practicing
being cosponsored by the American
journalists, and academicians with a track
Psychological Association and will be
record of getting their message out will coach
held April 14, 4:00-9:30 p.m., and April 15,
participants in the "how-tos" of initiating me-
8:3o a.m.-12.:3o p.m. It is intended for anyone
dia contacts and cultivating reporters' interest in
about to enter or currently in the academic job
research on child development.
market in psychology and related disciplines.
This preconference workshop will take
Sessions will include discussion of the stages of
place from z to 5 p.m. on Wednesday prior to
job seeking, strategies for landing an academic
the opening of the meeting on Thursday.
position, and job diversity in academia. The
Registration for the workshop is not being
workshop is open to meeting registrants, but
handled by the Ann Arbor office. To register
you will be assured space if you e-mail your in-
(the deadline is March 5), please use the form
tent to [email protected].
provided on page
21.
Special Events
Network Students Will 0-gold Conversation
0-0our and Reception
THE THREE EVENTSINDIAN
SRCD'S RESEARCH AND POL-
Pueblo Cultural Center, Los Amigos, and
Lunch with the Leadersrequire a reser-
icy Training Connection, a network of stu-
vation. Use the registration form on page 17 to
dent and young professional members who
reserve space. Send your form, with payment, to
share an active interest in research and policy
SRCD registration. If you have already regis-
(see Connecting Research and Policy,
tered for the meeting, use an additional registra-
page 14 in this Newsletter) is hosting two
tion form to request event space. You will re-
events at the 1999 SRCD Biennial Meeting. All
ceive a second confirmation for the additional
interested persons are encouraged and invited to
payment. Reservations are guaranteed; no re-
attend these network events:
funds will be honored after April 7.
An Invited Conversation Hour, when in-
(1)
Indian Pueblo Cultural Center
vited panelists and audience participants
The rich treasures of tradition, culture, and
will discuss the targets, trajectories, and
creativity are just part of the legacy of the first
work and training opportunities of the re-
people to inhabit the Southwest thousands of
search and policy practitioner. The session
years ago. Their story unfolds in the fascinating
will close with a discussion of what addi-
exhibits at the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center.
tional programs, if put into place, could
The center is a nonprofit organization owned
facilitate the professional development of
3
5
and maintained by the 19 Indian
entrance. Price per person, including
butter, coffee, soft drinks, iced tea,
pueblos in New Mexico. A triumph of
transportation, Tewa taco buffet din-
beer, and wine. For your listening and
dedication and determination, the
ner, and cash bar, is $2.o. To reserve,
dancing pleasure, a variety dance
multilevel building is patterned after a
see instruction, page 3.
band will be featured.
traditional pueblo. The lower level
You are sure to have a terrific
houses a museum and tells the story
Los Amigos Round Up
time, and will be reluctant to board
of the Pueblo Indians from prehistoric
Your deluxe coach will pick you
your coach at io p.m. to return to
times to the present through displays
up at 7 p.m. and take you to a real
your hotel. Price per person for this
of ancient artifacts. The upper level,
Southwestern chuckwagon barbecue
event, including transportation, is
divided into a series of alcoves (one
at Los Amigos Round Up. The hos-
$30. To reserve, see instruction,
for each of the 19 tribes), explains the
pitable spirit of New Mexico will be
page 3.
culture of each through changing ex-
evident from the moment you get off
hibits, murals, and contemporary art.
your coach, as you are greeted with a
Lunch with the Leaders
The museum's restaurant is
souvenir bandanna.
A popular event for students, sup-
unique, serving only Native American
Los Amigos is located on the San-
ported by SRCD, is the "Lunch with
food, with Indian baked bread and
dia Indian Reservation, near the Rio
the Leaders." This year SRCD will
Indian fry bread as its two most re-
Grande. Sip cool drinks under the
host two luncheons, one on Friday
quested "take-out" items. The center
shade of the cottonwood trees and
and another on Saturday. With a
showcases its collection of original
snack on Indian fry bread and green
maximum attendance of 6o to each
paintings and sculpture, emphasizing
chili stew while enjoying a bonfire or
lunch, students have an opportunity
only the finest quality work. Jewelry,
being entertained by a Western dance
to share conversation with leaders in
pottery, leather crafts, and paintings
troupe.
cognitive and socioemotional develop-
are on display and available for sale.
Enjoy the remainder of the even-
ment; infancy, child, and adolescence;
Indian dances are featured during the
ing feasting on the best barbecue in
and basic and applied research areas.
summer and on special occasions.
the Southwest. Your menu will in-
The lunches will take place Friday and
Cameras are permitted. You will
clude smokehouse barbecue (beef,
Saturday, 12.:3oz p.m., in Enchant-
board buses in front of the Albuquer-
pork, and chicken), chuckwagon corn,
ment AB, Hyatt Regency. Cost is $15.
que Convention Center main lobby
baked beans, potato salad, bread and
To reserve, see instruction, page 3..
Biennial. Meeting Alerts
Note that early registration rates
Bureau at [phone] or
If you are the author of a new or
apply through February z6, 1999;
[email protected]
soon-to-be published book or
after that date, the regular regis-
If you have not sent in your hous-
journal article, suggest to your
tration rates are in effect.
ing application yet, we recom-
publisher that they exhibit at the
To preregister by mail, your form
mend that you do so at your ear-
1999 Biennial Meeting. Have a
must reach us no later than April
liest convenience.
representative contact Sue Kelley
7, 1999please allow 7 working
New in this Newsletter is the
for details at [phone] or
days for mailing. Any registration
Position Opening form (page zo).
[email protected]
form arriving after April 7 will
Use this form to advertise posi-
Some last-minute adjustments to
not be confirmed. You should
tion openings in your department
the program are inevitable. Please
plan to register on site.
or university free of charge at the
check the Brief Program in your
The Registration Desk will be lo-
1999 Biennial Meeting.
meeting registration packet for
cated in the Main Lobby of the
For your convenience, Registra-
exact presentation times and loca-
Albuquerque Convention Center's
tion, Housing Request, and
tions.
East Complex.
Preconference and Special Event
Students who want to volunteer
If you have sent in your housing
Scheduling forms and travel in-
at the SRCD biennial meeting
application and have not received
formation are included in this edi-
should e-mail Kathy Stansbury in-
a confirmation of any kind, please
tion of the SRCD Newsletter
dicating their interest at
(pages i6zo).
contact the Albuquerque Housing
[email protected]
6
4
Developmental Psychology in
Its Social and Cultural Context
ADELE DIAMOND
HE RECENT ARTICLE BY JUDY
embracing the contradictions in all of us. For
Rosenblith and Derek Price in the
example, all of us want intimacy as well as
SRCD Newsletter on "Continuing
autonomy, individuality as well as commu-
Greenfield's Initiative" (spring,
nity, and to be connected to and respectful of
1998) caused me to go back and
our parents yet also "our own person." In
read Patricia Greenfield's wonderful article,
this vein, Takeo Doi argues cogently in a
which I somehow overlooked in 1995. For
wonderful explication of the Japanese notion
over To years I have
of amae, that all people, to some extent,
taught developmental
would like to receive as adults the idealized
psychology in its social
love of a parent for a childa love that is un-
and cultural context,
conditional, that does not have be earned and
drawing upon sources in
cannot be lost. All of us, Doi asserts, would
anthropology, sociology,
sometimes like to be taken care of and in-
philosophy, and litera-
dulged, i.e., to allow ourselves to be depen-
ture, in addition to more
dent. Doi goes on to assert that Westerners,
traditional psychological
to the detriment of their psychological health,
sources. Most years I
try to deny this need, striving toward a
have followed the large
wrongheaded ideal of complete self-reliance
lecture course with a
and independence. We tend to be ashamed of
smaller seminar and
our desire for amae, instead of recognizing
have placed each of the
that it is natural and normal.
seminar students with a
By viewing ourselves and our assumptions
family from a culture
through the perspectives of other cultures, we
different from their own
can gain insights into our shortcomings and
(such as an immigrant
shortsightedness. The egocentrism of our
family, an Amish or Mennonite family, or a
Western perspective is brought home cogently
family of orthodox Jews or fundamentalist
in the following passage by Dorothy Lee
Christians). The students spend an extended
(195o): "The Wintu [Native Americans] use
period of time living with the families and
of left and right, as compared to ours, shows
write a paper about their experience, drawing
the difference in orientation. When we go for
on material covered in the course. The lecture
a walk, the hills are to our right, the river to
course is based loosely on George Goethals's
our left; when we return, the hills change and
remarkable course on developmental psychol-
the river, while we remain the same, since we
ogy throughout the life cycle that I had the
are the pivot, the focus. Now the hills have
great good fortune to TA as a graduate stu-
pivoted to the left of me. This has been
dent, while the seminar grows out, in part, of
English practice for many years, since at least
my graduate experience in the Whiting-LeVine
the fourteenth century.
When the Wintu
.
. .
training group in cross-cultural research.
goes up the river, the hills are to the west, the
Besides the goals laid out by Greenfield of
river to the east; and a mosquito bites him on
understanding others better, I hope my courses
the west arm. When he returns, the hills are
also help students understand themselves bet-
still to the west, but when he scratches his
ter, widening their notions of the possible,
mosquito bite, he scratches his east arm. The
questioning assumptions they might have pre-
geography has remained unchanged, and the
viously taken for granted, and recognizing and
self has had to be reoriented in relation to it."
5
HARRY STACK SULLIVAN
in the developmental psychology course to
help them reflect on their own experiences.
WHILE PATRICIA GREENFIELD IS
This assignment is also a wonderful way to
correct that most of Western devel-
help students empathize with the experiences
opmental psychology has held up in-
of anyone moving from one social and cultural
dependence and individuation as the goals of
context to another (immigrants to a new coun-
development, there has long been another, mi-
try, socially mobile or displaced persons, sol-
nority voice even within Western psychology.
diers returning from war, etc.). In the space re-
Harry Stack Sullivan, for example, conceived
maining, I would like to share a few of the ex-
of the goal of personality development, not to
periences and insights of students from the
be better able to stand alone on one's own two
University of Pennsylvania, Harvard Univer-
feet, but to be better able to interact with and
sity, MIT, and Washington University.
get close to others. Very much in sympathy
with Chinese notions of jen, and with the ideas
First, from a student who was deeply rooted in
of many Asian, Latin American, African, and
the home she had grown up in, and felt out of place
Native American peoples, Sullivan saw human
at college, but who has built a life for herself at col-
beings as fundamentally social. For Sullivan,
"During my first year at [university x], I
lege:
the basic unit was the individual-in-social-con-
was acutely aware of not belonging here. I was
text rather than the individual alone. He
different from everyone else in so many ways: I
talked about personality being field-dependent,
was a Southerner, I went to public schools,
rather than unchanging and independent of so-
and I was totally unfamiliar with the urban
cial context. Situational personality theorists,
Northeast and its mixture of cultures and
such as Mischel and Gergen, have greatly elab-
races. My family history was rooted in rural
orated on that particular theme.
Mississippi and Arkansas, and only in the last
The fundamental interpersonalness of the
couple of generations had anyone in my family
human being also meant for Sullivan that the
gone to college. I felt that my previous educa-
boundaries between people are porous and not
tion was inferior to most other students. I
sharply delineated. We sense, and are affected
walked, talked, and even thought more slowly
by, the feelings of those around us. We become
than everyone around me, and often I felt as
ill, theorized Sullivan, because of lack of social
stupid as many people treated me.
tried
. I
. .
supports or because of social conflicts. Family
very hard during this period to find people and
therapists, such as Minuchin, Napier, and
things that reminded me of [hometown x], of
Whitaker, have expanded on that theme. It
`home.' I visited Baptist and Episcopal
would not be too far off the mark to substitute
churches around campus, trying to find a
"Sullivan" each time it says "African" in the
church similar to those I attended while grow-
following quotation from Thomas Lambo:
My accent actually became deeper,
ing up.
.
. .
"Africans believe in the relation between man
because I was making such an effort to hold
and man; Westerners increasingly believe in
on to my old identity, which was strongly tied
the relation between man and object. African
up with the part of the country I had come
philosophy bases all explanation on human re-
I didn't feel comfortable at [univer-
from.
.
. .
lationships; Western philosophy bases them on
sity x], even in my dorm room. My roommate
science. Medicine is a good illustration of this
plastered her half of the room with posters and
difference. Africans believe that to protect one-
photographs, while mine was bare of decora-
self and one's family from disease, one must
tion. I lived as if I was staying at a hotel, un-
live peacefully with one's neighbors.
willing or unable to give any of myself to my
West-
. .
.
erners believe that one need only take the right
surroundings.
At the end of my freshman
.
. .
pill, or have the right operation, but Africans
year, I felt less like a stranger at [university x].
define disease socially, not biologically."
However, I still considered [hometown x] my
home.
. .
.
THE STUDENTS SPEAK FOR
"Then I went back to [hometown x] for
THEMSELVES
the summer. My first reaction to my old neigh-
borhood felt like the kind of dream in which
/ALWAYS ASK MY STUDENTS TO
your surroundings are very familiar, but some-
write a paper on their experience of going
thing about them doesn't seem quite right.
.
. .
away to college, using the material covered
I had been expecting and longing for 'home,' a
6
8
place where I felt comfortable and
pigeonholed early in life and had lit-
from one part of the country to another.
confident, where I truly belonged. I
tle in common with my peers.
Here is a student whose struggles center
I
.
. .
felt betrayed by this place that made
had always known that I would have
around conflicts between her religious be-
me uneasy, like a guest or a stranger.
to leave our community and it
liefs and practices and the secular world of
"I was shocked when he
I spent much of the summer try-
showed in my attitude. There was a
the university:
. . .
ing to recover my feeling of confi-
kissed me. Truthfully, I felt attractive
certain backlash to this, especially as
and desirable.
dence in home, almost like trying to
[But] I knew it
I became older.
. .
. . .
.
was not right to kiss someone on the
fit into a pair of shoes that is too
"Imagine my surprise when I dis-
first date, let alone the first time you
covered that although I fit into this
small.
. .
.
meet him. I wavered between being
"In the next few years, my opin-
new environment, it did not always
the 'good Jewish girl' and the 'typi-
ions and values continued to change.
. In a
small town
there
fit me.
.
.
. . .
cal' college student. I thought this
I became more accustomed to
is no replacement for anyone. The
. . .
was supposed to happen in college so
[the city of university x], learning to
number of potential friends, neigh-
I should get used to it. I attributed
navigate the subway system with
bors, lovers, and peers is finite.
my confusion to the fact that I had
ease, finding a Lutheran church in
Therefore every member of the com-
which I felt able to worship, and get- It was right
led a sheltered life.
munity is unconditionally accepted to
. . .
to say a blessing before eating and it
ting close to a few friends I could re-
some degree. Even the most ostra-
was wrong to use the phone on the
ally talk to. My room looked less like
cized urchin can depend on a certain
a hotel and more like the residence of
Sabbath. My adolescent identity was
amount of acceptance and care from
a college student. .
.The first few as clearly defined as these values.
the community at large. In the
.
times I caught myself referring to [the Judaism dictates a 'certain way of life
smaller communities the whole effec-
that I had no problem adopting. I
city of university x] as 'home,' I felt
tive universe can have characteristics
guilty, as if I was the betrayer now. molded my identity according to the
similar to that of the family unit.
.
. .
axioms of Judaism, my parents and
But in three years here, it had really
The isolated urbanite often seems to
become my home. I didn't feel out of
my peers, who were all identical to
be searching for he knows not what
place any more. Although I still saw
me. .
and then rejecting a relationship
.
.
the ways in which I was different "The first Friday night at [univer-
that leads to commitment or depen-
from other people at college, I also sity x] forced me to reconsider my
dence.
. .
.
past identity and choose one for the
saw all the ways that I was similar to
"I especially do not understand
My sense of 'home'
future. After the sun set, I curled up
them.
the desire for independence as they
. . .
in my bed with a book, just as I had
changed as the amount of my invest-
seem to define it. Self-sufficiency,
done every Friday night. When my
ment in college life changed. I believe
competency, and creating an environ-
that one doesn't find or discover a roommate invited me to go to dinner
ment that allows personal fulfillment,
and a party with her, I almost re-
place called home, or stumble on it
I can understand, but independence
sponded, 'We can't go outit's
as if by accident. [The city of univer-
in the sense of being free to do what-
Shabbas!' After my roommate left
sity x] became my home when I de-
ever one likes without responsibilities
alone, I sat and wondered if my old
voted more time and energy and
to anybody or taking the larger com-
behaviors were appropriate in this
emotion to my life here."
munity into account, I don't under-
new environment. I realized that I
stand.
If even I, the marginalized
.
. .
would be bombarded with choices
child who always knew she was go-
Some
students wanted to leave home
that conflicted with my religion, and
ing to grow up and go to college far
far behind them, wanted to distance them-
my identity; therefore, I had better
away, could find an intrinsic value in
selves from their history and their back-
decide who and what I wanted to be.
that dependent way of life, perhaps
ground, but rediscovered a new apprecia-
I had to choose whether I wanted to
there is something to it after all.
tion for home instead. Here are the words
be the 'good Jewish girl,' or what I
you
Leaving home has given me a novel
of one such student: "First
. . .
have to understand that I didn't cry
thought was the 'typical' college girl,
perspective from which to view home
at my high school graduation. You or find a happy medium between the
and has brought into relief aspects of
It was easy to have a clear
are supposed to cry. My classmates two. .
it that were too close to see before."
.
.
sense of identity when that identity is
After spending twelve
cried.
. . .
years with the same small group of laid out for you.
The issues of questioning values once
people from the same small, rural,
"This all changed when I arrived
held unquestioningly and of having "one
South Dakota community, who all
I was free to do
at [university x]. .
foot" in the world at home and "one foot"
. .
had the same ideas about me, I was
and be whatever I pleased. My iden-
in the new college world arise for many dif-
ready for a change.
tity that was so stable in Yeshiva was
I had been
ferent reasons, not only because of moving
. . .
9
7
broadened my definition of an
words of a student caught in a role conflict
now shaky in college. .
I searched
. .
"I
Orthodox Jew, so that I have more
for a personality that would fit in
for which no solution has yet emerged:
wanted to be true to myself while at
with life at [university x]. I turned to
leeway to fit into this category,
the same time please other people
peers for help. I spent a lot of time
which is a compromise between two
and fit in. As a result, I assumed a
with my roommate and her friends
different worlds."
number of roles and acted differently
whose conversations revolved around
around different people. Around my
nail polish and hair color. After I re-
Usually one thinks of problems coming
black friends, I acted 'down,' and
alized that I could not emulate their
from moving from an environment where
was loud. My speech patterns were
accent and whine, I decided this was
most people were like you to moving to an
different, and I spoke in what most
not the identity for me. I then met a
environment where one is in the minority.
people call Black English dialect.
group whose nightly activity was
However, the next excerpt describes an is-
When I was around white people, my
smoking marijuana. Their characters
sue that arose from moving in the opposite
behavior was totally different. I was
were also not right for me. I finally
am Jewish. In Oklahoma,
direction: "I
more composed, more careful of
I had no Jewish friends, but I had a
developed a friendship with a nice
what I said and how I said it, and I
Midwestern girl with the same values
very strong Jewish identity. Being
didn't speak much. I didn't want the
Jewish is very important to both of
that I have
I thought I could
. . .
white people to have the negative
my parents, and growing- up in their
limit my change so that I would not
stereotypes of me that they have with
violate any major Jewish norms.
presence gave me a strong sense of
many other black people.
"I felt in control and well-ad- who I am.
.
. .
"When I was doing this, I felt
"Since coming to university x, I
justed, until Peter came along. Peter
that I was betraying my black com-
was tall, blond, blue-eyed, and not
have had a very 'Jewish' social life.
munity and trying to separate myself
Jewish. I knew that dating a non-Jew
Interestingly enough, only by having
from my race. At the same time, my
was one of the cardinal sins, and I
a large number of Jewish friends
black friends questioned my ethnicity
knew my father would disown me if
could the strength of my Jewish iden-
because I decided to attend an elitist
Oklahoma,
he ever found out. Yet, I still dated
tity be challenged.
. In
. .
white university: They called me a
being different taught me to have a
him. Peter offered me the perfect
traitor and said I was not as 'black'
transition into the identity that I
high level of tolerance. I learned
.
. .
as I used to be. Many of them
thought I wanted to adopt. He was
the importance of accepting everyone
thought I had changed and acted
for who they are, and furthermore I
the 'typical' college guy and he could
`different.' I didn't think I changed,
teach me about the 'real' world. I
learned the value of being loving and
My black
but I guess I had.
giving to more than just one's own
persisted to justify and rationalize the
.
. .
friends at home don't consider me
relationship by saying it was nothing
The Jewish friends I have
`pack.'
.
. .
one of them, and I don't fit in with
seriouswe were just having fun.
here, come from very different envi-
my white friends at the university.
ronments. I have some friends that
But, it became serious .
.
.
Hence, I ask myself over and over
"By my junior year, I had made a
just blanketly like people better only
again, who I am. I find myself con-
full circle. I dated Joshua, a tall,
because they are Jewish. They are
stantly trying to prove myself with-
good-looking, premed, Orthodox
nicer and friendlier to new Jewish ac-
out having to denounce my race."
Jew. He was my parents' dream-date.
quaintances, as opposed to how they
Through him, I returned to my old
treat new Gentile acquaintances. This
Although the students quoted
observant self, the way I was in high
shatters my sense of what is right. I
here were talking about their own
learned the golden rule in kinder-
school. Instead of going out on
personal experiences, these experi-
weekends, we sat around and studied
garten. I would hate it if someone
ences contain threads that helped the
the Talmud. I was very bored. I real-
wasn't friendly to me simply because
students better understand what
I didn't share their religious identity.
ized that I had given up too much of
other people, arriving in America
I want my children to learn the
what I had gained the previous year.
.
. .
from other cultures, or in other so-
I did not want to be the party girl,
same tolerance that I learned grow-
cial situations, might be experienc-
but I did not want to be the strictly
ing up. To achieve this goal, must I
ing. And reading about the experi-
take my family to a town such as
observant Jew either. I needed a bal-
ences of other people and the rich
ance between the two. .
[hometown x] with a similarly
I am liv-
. .
anthropological and sociological lit-
ing in two different worldsthe
diminutive Jewish population?"
erature helped my students better un-
Jewish world and the college world.
derstand and grapple with issues in
I have decided what is important
Not all the students had found a com-
. . .
their own lives. In turn, my students
and what I am willing to give up
fortable resolution, at least not at the time
have taught me a great deal..lv
from both of these worlds. I have
they wrote their papers. Here are the
10
8