Class Year

2019

Document Type

Student Research Paper

Date of Creation

Spring 2019

Department 1

Sociology

Abstract

The election of President Trump can be shown to negatively impact the Mexican community through social identity theory. Since his election, President Trump has passed policies controlling immigration and uses harmful language to describe Mexicans, such as rapists and criminals. To investigate the impact that the presidency has had on the Mexican Community the author choose to analyze this influence with social identity theory. Social identity theory proposes that individuals’ self-concept is based on their identification to their ingroup, and when this ingroup (Mexican) is viewed unfavorably by the outgroup (Anglo-American), negative social identity occurs. The author interviewed 16 participants that work and are students in a university and identify as Mexican or Mexican American. Findings support that there was a difference in the participants who experienced negative social identity. Those participants with American citizenship indicated to have negative social identity when they spoke about Trump’s Presidency and policies, however, those participants without American citizenship such as DACA recipients showed to be discouraged more so because of the uncertainty of their future with immigration policies, and not negative social identity. My hypothesis that negative social identity will influence motivation in lifestyle was not supported.

Comments

Written for SOC 400: Sociology Capstone Seminar.

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