Interracial Roommate Pairings Are Beneficial But Stressful

Several recent studies, at Ohio State and elsewhere, have found that having a roommate of a different race can reduce prejudice, diversify friendships and even boost black students’ academic performance. But, the research found, such relationships are more stressful and more likely to break up than same-race pairings. As universities have grown more diverse, and interracial roommate assignments are more common, social scientists have looked to them as natural field experiments that can provide insights on race relations. Read more at:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/08/us/08roommate.html?partner=rss&emc=rss