Looking for mixed race Britons to help research project.

Coventry University is calling on people with parents from different ethnic backgrounds to share their experiences of life in the UK.

Dr Carola Leicht from the University’s Centre for Social Relations is seeking their views for a new research project which aims to gain a better understanding of how this demographic view and use their identity in the UK.

Those interested in taking part in this research can complete an online questionnaire, which is available at www.survey.bris.ac.uk/coventry/dhp2/. Everybody completing the survey will have a 40% chance of winning £10 to spend at Amazon. All data collected is anonymous and the survey is approved by the universities ethics committee.  The questionnaire remains open until Thursday 31st October 2013.

So far, little research on this fast growing demographic group has been undertaken in the UK. Questionnaires established in the US exploring the identity formation of mixed race individuals have not been tried out in Britain. The goal of this survey therefore is to explore whether these questionnaires work similarly in the UK.

The project forms part of wider research by the Centre for Social Relations into Britain’s shifting social and cultural landscape and findings will be circulated to relevant stakeholders, including local authorities and policy makers. Dr Carola Leicht from Coventry University’s Centre for Social Relations said: “The 2011 Census revealed that a minority group that wasn’t even included in the Census up until 2001 – individuals with mixed ethnic/racial backgrounds – is now the fastest growing in the UK and that growth trend is predicted to continue.

“It’s a huge demographic shift and through this research project we’re hoping learn more about the life experiences of this particular group and the wider implications of this changing social dynamic. We want to present an accurate picture of the diverse and complex factors that make up modern British identity and to ensure that everyone who contributes to our collective character is valued and respected.”