Danish, with some extra spice: A Qualitative Study into the Ethnic and Cultural Identity Construction of Multiracial Danes

Akakpo, Dzifa Amber Abena

4. term

Culture, Communication and Globalization, Master

2023

2023-05-30

141 pages

Due to increasing migration, Denmark becomes a diverse country. As a result of this growing diversity, transnational and transracial families become more common, leading to an increase in multiracial individuals within Danish society. Multiracial Danes are defined as individuals who have one Danish parent as well as one parent of another racial background. Relating to issues of identity, this study aims to understand the process of ethnic and cultural identity construction in multiracial Danes. For this purpose, six in-depth interviews have been conducted with multiracial Danes of different ethnic backgrounds. A qualitative study was conducted, based on the philosophical stances of interpretivism and social constructionism. The chosen research design was a case study design in combination with a grounded theory approach for the data analysis. Additionally, two theories on ethnic and cultural identity construction were used in the data analysis. The primary data was analysed following the three-step grounded theory model resulting in four main categories. which were used to construct a theoretical model on multiracial identity. The four main categories that emerged from the data of the interviews were used to answer the central research question that aims to explore the complex process of ethnic and cultural identity construction amongst Multiracial Danes and their relationship to the concept of Danishness. These categories are: (1) Being multiracial in Denmark, (2) Physical Appearance, (3) Exploration of ethnic identity, and (4) Self-identification with cultural identity. The results from the analysis show that Multiracial Danes self-identify with two possible identity patterns when it comes to their ethnic identity: (1) Situational identity, where ethnic identity is contextually dependent, or (2) Multiple Mono-ethnic identity, where the individual identifies with the ethnic identities of their heritage. Moreover, all identify culturally as Danish. The findings highlight the dynamic and complex nature of identity construction, underscore the challenges faced by multiracial Danes in relation to Danishness, and emphasize the need for inclusive approaches to accommodate identity construction of Multiracial Danes within Danish society. This research contributes to the growing body of literature on mixed race studies in a Scandinavian context and serves as a foundation for future research, hoping to inspire others to engage in critical conversations regarding experiences of minoritized individuals

Ethnic identity ; Cultural identity ; Multiracial ; Danishness ; Identity construction

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