Concept Application Blog

            The concept I have chosen to apply to my study of the multicultural sorority, Sigma Lambda Gamma, is Minority identity and its stages from Chapter 5. The sense of belonging that the minority group begins to develop occurs in different stages. Herb Leibacher describes this as, "The Minority Identity Development Model distinguishes between 5 stages that people experience as they attempt to understand themselves in terms of their own culture, the dominant culture, and the oppressive relationship between the two cultures." 

            There are 4 different stages to the Minority identity. Stage one is Unexamined identity, this occurs when the minority members don't have an interest in learning about the majority members. As well as not being interested, they also accept the norms and attitudes of the dominant culture but there is just a lack of interest. Stage two is conformity. This stage is when the minority group has understood the norms of the dominant culture and strives to be like them. This stage may be accompanied with negative feelings about ones own minority culture. Stage three is Resistance and Separatism. People can be brought to this stage when running into discrimination or discovering that not all of the majority group values are positive ones. Minorities may also move to this stage because they discover someone else in their same group that shows a strong since of belonging to that group. The last stage is Integration. The integration stage is characterized by a strong sense of their own identity group while still having a strong appreciation for those in other groups.

            I believe that learning about these four stages can really help in a better understanding of Sigma Lambda Gamma. Due to the fact that the members of this sorority are a minority here at UNL, they each or most have gone through each or one of these stages. These four stages gave me a couple ideas for interview questions such as, “What positive or negative feelings have you had toward other sororities on campus?” “Have you received any type of discrimination because you are a multicultural sorority?” “What qualities do you take pride in, in your sorority (that aren't like others here on campus)?” Understanding these four stages can help me determine the kinds of attitudes that these girls have towards other non-multicultural sororities on campus. Knowing these stages can help me better appreciate and ask questions that I think they would appreciate and not take offense to.

            I e-mailed the chapter president last week, letting her know the reason behind me getting in contact with her and telling her I would love to meet with either her or any of her other sisters. Unfortunately, I have not heard back from her and there are no other numbers or e-mails on their website. If I have not heard back in the next couple days I plan on trying to contact her one more time. I plan on setting up at least two interviews with girls in the house. I also plan to record them and also take pictures with the girls. I plan to attend either one of their meetings or philanthropy or other gathering where I can get a feel for the house as a whole.