Perceptions of Racism Among College Students

This thesis analyzes internal perceptions of institutional racism among undergraduate college students. The research examines the degree to which students perceive the issue of institutional racism to be an existing and pressing problem in our society today. The paper explores how students' perceptions of racism may be influenced by their race, gender, and social attitudes. The thesis also analyzes how students' perceptions of racism are mediated by access and exposure to the vast amounts of political information available on social media sites such as Twitter and Facebook. A survey of 110 college students was conducted and both quantitative and qualitative data were collected. Quantitative results suggest that students' awareness of racial inequality and racial discrimination were not influenced by race or gender identity but were influenced by their social attitudes and the nature of their social media use. Qualitative results provide an in-depth analysis of students' personal opinions about racism and suggest an overall awareness of the issue, but nonetheless polarized views.