Q&A: Karen Okigbo on Race, Families, Sociology, and Public Policy

Karen Amaka Okigbo is a Postdoctoral Researcher (Instructor) at the Harris School of Public Policy, Her research focuses on immigration, race, ethnicity, and family. We reached out to her to learn more about her and her work. 

Can you tell us a little bit about your research?

I’m a sociologist whose research focuses on race and ethnicity, migration, sociology of the family, and the African diaspora. I investigate the social decision-making of the U.S.-born children of Nigerian immigrants as they navigate the dating and marriage process. By examining intermarriage in terms of both racial and ethnic differences, my research sheds light on the often-elided heterogeneity of the Black population.

What calculations do second-generation Nigerian Americans go through when deciding who to marry?

Selecting a life partner is arguably one of the most important decisions in a person’s life. My research shows that this decision is quite complex for second-generation Nigerian Americans for four primary reasons. First, is the issue of race and its steady significance in the U.S., particularly when looking at a group as ethnically diverse as Nigerian Americans. Second, is the salience of religion as an important measure of compatibility. Third, is the intersectional issue of gender and the racialized experiences of Nigerian Americans as Black men and women when dating. Fourth, is the issue of parental pressure. As children of African immigrants, second-generation Nigerian Americans experienced parental pressure as an influential factor in their marital selection process. Given all those important factors, it’s clear to see how complicated the marital selection process can be.

How does this relate to Isabel Wilkerson’s observation in Caste that many immigrants (or, perhaps, their children) from Africa will decide to preserve as much of their initial culture so as to distinguish themselves from those Americans whose ancestors were enslaved?

Wilkerson’s observations speak to my research in two interesting ways. The first is that there are generational differences in how immigrants decide to preserve their culture. Through my ethnographic fieldwork, I discovered that there was a stated preference for endogamous partners of the same ethnicity among some Nigerian immigrant parents. However, among their second-generation children, their marital ethnoracial preferences tended to be more flexible than those of their parents, and they were, therefore, more open to intermarriage with African Americans.

The second interesting finding is that ethnicity and castes can coexist within the same racial group and, at times, reinforce each other. Among the Igbo ethnic group, for instance, there exists a caste known as the osu. The historical tradition is often traced to indigenous and pagan deities, and once an individual was labeled an osu, they were traditionally ostracized and deemed unworthy of interaction with others in the community. Although this tradition has changed in certain ways, for some, particularly some immigrant parents, it remains an important consideration when selecting a marital partner. So although Wilkerson mainly discusses caste hierarchies along racial lines, my findings highlight the significance of castes within racial and ethnic groups.

You hold a PhD in sociology and Master’s degrees in sociology and social policy. What is the interplay between sociology and public policy?

Sociology is such a diverse discipline, but at its core, investigates the structures that shape society and how individuals interact within those contexts. Likewise, public policy is equally broad but fundamentally seeks to address societal problems through policy. As someone who truly values interdisciplinarity, public policy has been an avenue through which I can put my sociological lens and experience into practice. For instance, my research fundamentally highlights the heterogeneity of the Black population. Therefore, I work to ensure that policies and programs that seek to address inequalities recognize the heterogeneity within racial groups and not treat them as monoliths.

Why Harris?

That’s fairly easy! Harris has a longstanding tradition of promoting evidence-based policymaking, and in this age of increasing polarization, that is particularly appealing. In addition, I’ve found that interdisciplinary and collaborative research is not only valued, but championed here. As a mixed-method researcher with a background in sociology, social policy, and political science, that is certainly noteworthy.

What else would you like for us to know about you?

Most people are surprised to know that I spent most of my formative childhood years in Fargo, North Dakota. I’m excited to be back in the Midwest, thrilled to be at Harris, and looking forward to getting to know the faculty, staff, and students here!