I conducted this study to determine if African American men and women who marry white men and women in East Tennessee perceive experiences of isolation and alienation from their families and friends as a result of their selection of a mate from a race other than the one into which they were born. I interviewed ten individuals who are or have been interracially married. As a result of my research, I found that my results compare favorably with those of scholarly studies that discovered alienation and isolation among interracial couples.
I used descriptive research methods to analyze a segment of the Appalachian population, with literature reviews of related material and in-depth interviews conducted with subjects in the East Tennessee area. My study allowed the subjects to discuss their perceptions and feelings of being a part of this growing interracial population in East Tennessee.
","abstract_html":"<p>I conducted this study to determine if African American men and women who marry white men and women in East Tennessee perceive experiences of isolation and alienation from their families and friends as a result of their selection of a mate from a race other than the one into which they were born. I interviewed ten individuals who are or have been interracially married. As a result of my research, I found that my results compare favorably with those of scholarly studies that discovered alienation and isolation among interracial couples.</p><p>I used descriptive research methods to analyze a segment of the Appalachian population, with literature reviews of related material and in-depth interviews conducted with subjects in the East Tennessee area. My study allowed the subjects to discuss their perceptions and feelings of being a part of this growing interracial population in East Tennessee.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Morris, Sheila Dianne"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"MALS (Master of Arts in Liberal Studies)","degree_level":"Thesis - unrestricted","degree_discipline":"Liberal Studies","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2003,"date_issued":"2003-12-13T08:00:00Z","date_published":"2003-12-13T08:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:19:21Z","subjects":["East Tennessee","interracial marriages","isolation","alienation","Psychology","Social and Behavioral Sciences"],"languages":[],"rights":["Copyright by the authors."],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://dc.etsu.edu/etd/808","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Morris, Sheila Dianne"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.issued","label":"Date","values":["2003-12-13T08:00:00Z"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Liberal Studies"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Thesis - unrestricted"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["MALS (Master of Arts in Liberal Studies)"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["East Tennessee","interracial marriages","isolation","alienation","Psychology","Social and Behavioral Sciences"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:rights","label":"Dc Rights","values":["Copyright by the authors."]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://dc.etsu.edu/context/etd/article/1965/viewcontent/MorrisS090203f.pdf","https://dc.etsu.edu/etd/808"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["I conducted this study to determine if African American men and women who marry white men and women in East Tennessee perceive experiences of isolation and alienation from their families and friends as a result of their selection of a mate from a race other than the one into which they were born. I interviewed ten individuals who are or have been interracially married. As a result of my research, I found that my results compare favorably with those of scholarly studies that discovered alienation and isolation among interracial couples.
I used descriptive research methods to analyze a segment of the Appalachian population, with literature reviews of related material and in-depth interviews conducted with subjects in the East Tennessee area. My study allowed the subjects to discuss their perceptions and feelings of being a part of this growing interracial population in East Tennessee.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Alienation and Isolation in Interracial Marriages in East Tennessee."]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:creator":["Morris, Sheila Dianne"],"dc:date.issued":["2003-12-13T08:00:00Z"],"dc:description.abstract":["I conducted this study to determine if African American men and women who marry white men and women in East Tennessee perceive experiences of isolation and alienation from their families and friends as a result of their selection of a mate from a race other than the one into which they were born. I interviewed ten individuals who are or have been interracially married. As a result of my research, I found that my results compare favorably with those of scholarly studies that discovered alienation and isolation among interracial couples.
I used descriptive research methods to analyze a segment of the Appalachian population, with literature reviews of related material and in-depth interviews conducted with subjects in the East Tennessee area. My study allowed the subjects to discuss their perceptions and feelings of being a part of this growing interracial population in East Tennessee.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://dc.etsu.edu/context/etd/article/1965/viewcontent/MorrisS090203f.pdf","https://dc.etsu.edu/etd/808"],"dc:rights":["Copyright by the authors."],"dc:subject":["East Tennessee","interracial marriages","isolation","alienation","Psychology","Social and Behavioral Sciences"],"dc:title":["Alienation and Isolation in Interracial Marriages in East Tennessee."],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Liberal Studies"],"thesis:degree_level":["Thesis - unrestricted"],"thesis:degree_name":["MALS (Master of Arts in Liberal Studies)"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:19:21Z"}