Introduction
Discrimination based on race, color, or ethnicity, namely racial discrimination, is almost always a violation of human rights. It encompasses any preference, exclusion, or restriction based on ancestry, race, color, or national or ethnic origin (Xenidis, 2022). It is also the destruction or denial of equal recognition, use, or exercise of human rights. Moreover, discrimination indicates a loss of fundamental liberties in public life, including political, economic, social, cultural, and others. This problem is a significant social challenge, so the influence of the type of school on the race of friends is essential in understanding this issue.
Rationale
Equal rights for racial, ethnic, and national minorities before the law are the essential tenets of non-discrimination. Thus, researching the relationship between school type and the race of friends teenagers have is crucial as it can inform policies and interventions that promote diversity, inclusion, and equity in schools and society. Additionally, it can help understand the impact of education on social integration and how to promote positive outcomes for all students (Lohbeck, 2020). For the above reasons, it is crucial to find an answer to the influence of the type of school on the race of friends.
Theoretical Framework
Speaking about the sociological theory that can be used in this matter, it is worth noting the idea of personal identity. As discussed by Wallace (2019), the personal identity theory asserts that a person is aware of oneself in the same way, regardless of the moment of time and changes in consciousness and character. In other words, a person’s conduct and actions are motivated mainly by self-consciousness.
In this regard, it was found that students with more friends of their race were more engaged in school (McMahon, 2019). One feels more comfortable among members of one’s race, which formulates how one perceives oneself. Thus, the type of school with higher racial diversity will significantly impact the type of friends students choose. In other words, students will try to make more friends of their race and feel more comfortable doing so.
Moreover, the problem of personal identity is one of the classic philosophical puzzles. Its central question is what makes a person the same individual despite all the physical and psychological changes and the passage of time. According to the psychological explanation, a person’s sense of self is preserved by the persistence of psychological experience. It comprises psychological traits like personality, routines, and memories (Wallace, 2019).
In turn, the narrative explanation includes the individual’s memory about what she did and what happened to the person. The narrative builds events into a unique relationship that fits only one person. The presence of a particular narrative indicates a specific personality.
Conclusion
To conclude, the school type affects the students’ race of friends. It is related to the theory of personality identity, under which a person perceives oneself similarly regardless of life experience. Students believe that they are better at ease around people of the same race, and as a result, school types with greater racial variety affect the friends they choose. Students will make more friends of the same race at these schools and feel more at ease.
References
Lohbeck, A. (2020). Does integration play a role? Academic self-concepts, self-esteem, and self-perceptions of social integration of elementary school children in inclusive and mainstream classes. Social Psychology of Education, 23(5), 1367–1384. Web.
McMahon, R. (2019). National races: Transnational power struggles in the sciences and politics of human diversity. University of Nebraska Press.
Wallace, K. (2019). The network self: Relation, process, and personal identity. Routledge.
Xenidis, R. (2022). The concept of direct discrimination in European anti-discrimination law: Theory, practice and limits. SSRN Electronic Journal. Web.