Suchergebnisse

Rounds up the literature on the continuing discrimination of African Americans in US businesses, particularly with regard to salary and promotion into senior management levels, and suggests that years of anti‐discrimination legislation have led to a change from overt exclusion to "covert subrogation"; considers the changing demographics of the US labour force which should allow ample opportunities for African Americans to fulfil career aspirations and seeks to identify the artificial barriers which could prevent this, through a study of attitudes to African Americans as managers undertaken among graduating business majors at two US business schools (one historically attended by African Americans, the other predominantly white). Presents the results in brief, which suggest that, although attitudes to African Americans in management held by whites have improved, they still are not as favourable as those held by African Americans themselves; touches on the business case for organizations becoming more accepting of minority managers.

Contends that people of African descent in colonial America & the early US combined elements of West African spirituality with Christian norms to develop a syncretic form of spirituality. West African concepts of the sacred cosmos, the role of mediators, & experiences with the spiritual presence are described, along with the importance of rituals & ritualistic objects. These beliefs were combined with Euro-American Christianity in religious systems such as voodoo (New Orleans [LA]), hoodoo (US South), Santeria (Cuba, Puerto Rico), & macumba (Brazil). Where traditional African religions were officially prohibited, they survived in an underground form alongside Christianity. Secret "prayer meetings" conducted among the slaves by former West African priests were the basis of an independent social & economic institution, as well as the grounds for covert & overt political action. The roles of "root-working" doctors & conjurers are described, & the impact of Afrocentric practices in Christianity on the New World identity of persons of African descent is discussed. J. Lindroth