Introduction : structure vs. agency and the poor urban experience -- The economics of the poor urban experience -- Space usage and cost differentials in Gary, Indiana : counting the costs -- Differential goods and services to feed a family : who pays the costs? -- Differential goods and services to clothe a family : who pays the costs? -- A tale of three families : impracticality costs -- Socio-psychological effects of daily exposure to poverty-related constraints : coping with the costs -- Conclusion : a thesis on the poor urban experience.
Abstract W. E. B. Du Bois provides a thesis on Black masculinity formation that includes primary traits of this social identity and dynamics that can engender or stymie its development. Yet his framework does not directly reference sexual minorities. This study considers whether and how Du Bois's framework on masculinity is germane to the experiences of young Black people with diverse sexual identities by assessing whether they recount similar tropes and features. The analysis is theoretically informed by a New Millennium Du Boisian Mode of Inquiry and a qualitative analysis for 168 young Black persons who reside in the South. Three themes emerge that adopt, amplify, and adapt dimensions of Du Bois's thesis and demonstrate that key aspects of his framework resonate with Black persons excluded from his original work. Despite nuanced sexual identities, it was common for individuals to espouse Du Bosian tenets associated with Black masculinity such as a protector/provider trope, respectability, racial pride, educational attainment, economic mobility, and self-help as well as concerns about racism. These findings inform research on expectations about masculinity into which many men are generally socialized as well as possible hierarchies among intersecting social identities.
AbstractW.E.B. Du Bois developed a thesis on the formation of Black manhood that includes key characteristics of this identity and dynamics that can foster or undermine its development. Yet his framework does not directly reference sexual minorities. Is Du Bois' thesis relevant today for Black men who have sex with men (BMSM)? Do they espouse similar traits and experience similar challenges? Are their masculinity tropes nuanced based on racial, gender, and/or sexual identities? Informed by a New Millennium Du Boisian Mode of Inquiry and qualitative analyses, this study considers whether and how key aspects of Du Bois' understanding of the formation of Black manhood are evident among 168 BMSM who reside in the South. Moving beyond a focus on HIV/AIDS for this demographic, the article notes that three themes emerge linked to embracing, essentializing, and extending Du Bois' thesis on Black manhood that illustrate whether and how his views on Black masculinity are apparent and relevant among Black men excluded from his original work.
Abstract Black megachurches are increasingly known for their charismatic pastors, multiple worship services, and unconventional programs. But what are their stances on gender inclusivity? Informed by black liberation and womanist theologies, this mixedmethodological study across 16 black megachurches assesses clergy views on the subject as well as whether their congregations are welcoming and affirming, open, or exclusionary regarding black women in church roles. Results show that most black clergy in the study are open to black women's participation and leadership; black women hold a myriad of positions in both churches and in church-sponsored secular organizations. When constraints are placed on womanism, it is to encourage male leadership in familial and pastoral roles. In such scenarios, pastors tend to emphasize gender role complementarity rather than equality. However, pastors who most adamantly espouse black liberation and womanist tenets are most likely to be welcoming and affirming of black women's full participation without caveats to their involvement. Moreover, such churches tend to promote inclusivity of other historically oppressed groups such as sexual minorities and to encourage open discourses about controversial issues among adults and youth in general.
Despite documentation of intergroup conflict between African Americans and Irish immigrants during the mid-nineteenth to mid-twentieth centuries, few studies have comparatively considered the beneficence of religion as an adaptive, conciliatory mechanism for the two ethnic groups. Yet, literature supports the historic centrality of the Black Church for the former group and the indelible influence of Catholicism for the latter. This research examines common religious themes and organized efforts associated with these faith traditions for the two historically oppressed groups. Informed by Cultural Theory, this study compares and contrasts religious cultural dynamics to illumine adaptive features and activism. Exilic themes based on nationality, race, and/or ethnicity tied to biblical symbolism; social programs and self-help; as well as appropriation of Liberation Theology are common group patterns. Yet, findings also illustrate the inability of religion to foster substantial intergroup cooperation in light of other prevailing systemic forces.
This study focuses on romantic relationships and how race, class, and space affect the experiences of black, Hispanic, and white female respondents involved with black males. This research examines dynamics that foster or undermine exhibition of the Cinderella Complex and Prince Charming Ideal. Case-study findings based on content analysis suggest features of both frameworks and the negative influence of incompatible gender roles. In addition, despite their views, respondents exhibit androgynous gender roles to adapt to challenges.
