Negotiating Cultural Ambiguity: A Phenomenological Study of Multiracial Identity and Consumption

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this chapter is to explore the intersection of identity, culture, and consumption as it relates to multiracial identity development.

Methodology/approach

The authors employed a phenomenological approach wherein 21 multiracial women were interviewed to understanding the lived experience and meaning of multiracial identity development.

Findings

Findings of this study indicate that multiracial consumers engage with the marketplace to assuage racial discordance and legitimize the liminal space they occupy.

Research implications

While there is much research related to the variety of ways marketing and consumption practices intersect with identity (re)formation, researchers have focused much of their attention on monoracial populations. This research identifies and fills a gap in the literature related to how multiple racial backgrounds complicate this understanding.

Practical implications

Due to their growing social visibility and recognized buying power, multiracial individuals have emerged as a viable consumer segment among marketers. However, there is a dearth of research examining how multiracial populations experience the marketplace.

Originality/value

This study provides a better understanding of the ways in which multiracial individuals utilize consumption practices as a means of developing and expressing their racial identity.

Citation

Harrison, R. and Thomas, K. (2014), "Negotiating Cultural Ambiguity: A Phenomenological Study of Multiracial Identity and Consumption", Consumer Culture Theory (Research in Consumer Behavior, Vol. 15), Emerald Group Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 41-56. https://doi.org/10.1108/S0885-2111(2013)0000015003