Denying duality: a qualitative study of the racial identity of biracial young adults

The following research project tells a story about the way that race is experienced in Canada, a country which prides itself on its multiculturalism. This research explores, through qualitative semi-structured interviews, the experiences of five biracial university students in rural Atlantic Canada. Taking an intersectional lens, this research project explores the self- identification and identity formation of these young adults, asking how mixed-race individuals shape their racial identities, and which factors influence and inform their racial identification. The participants in this research project unanimously recounted experiences of having their biracial identity dismissed as they were "slotted" into more recognized racial categorizations. This research sheds light on the complex identities of young adults of mixed-parentage in Atlantic Canada, whose experiences provide valuable insight to coming to a better understanding of how we conceptualize race in our increasingly diverse population. This study concludes that Canada continues to see race as relatively fixed and dichotomous.