Suchergebnisse

Examines the discursive space of "white" in late-20th-century discourses, drawing on open-ended survey data from 350 US college students & interviews with participants in sporting events attended primarily by whites. Mapping the discursive territory of whiteness is the initial step in the process of revealing whiteness as a rhetorical construction. The unquestioned center space assumed by whites in US culture is explored, along with the cultural construction of whiteness & the mechanical functioning of the assemblage of whiteness that depends on strategic rhetoric to preserve its center position. Six strategies of the discourse of whiteness are identified, & the relation between these strategies & power is examined, along with their ability to consider oppression without referencing the oppressive class. Meanings behind resistance to labels, the imbalance between discourse on gender & discourse on whiteness, & effects of the discursive space of whiteness on social structure are discussed. 42 References. J. Lindroth

Examines the preferences & meanings of labels for white Americans to argue that they represent expressions of white US identity. On questionnaires, 371 white college students rated labels in terms of preference & indicated meanings they commonly attached to the designations. Most students preferred the label "white," followed by Caucasian, white American, & European American. The least preferred labels were Euro-American, Anglo, & white Anglo Saxon Protestant, which were associated with derogatory meanings indicating racism & feelings of superiority. There was a high overall pattern of agreement with few definitions for the most preferred terms. A multiperspective interpretation, incorporating social psychological & critical explanations, suggests that the uniformity of the answers reflects a lack of awareness about the meaning of being white that hides white power & also denotes unrealistic feelings of equality that obscure current realities. Suggestions are made for further research. 5 Tables, 63 References. J. Lindroth

Adolescent Relationships and Drug Use explores the communicative and relational features of adolescent drug use. It focuses on peer norms, risk, and protective factors and considers how drugs are offered to adolescents, examining such factors as who makes the offers and how they are resisted, where the offers take place, and what relationship exists between the persons making the offers and the persons receiving them. Unlike other studies of drug resistance, this work examines the communication processes that affect adolescents' ability to effectively resist drug offers. Michelle Miller and her colleagues study how personal qualities, communication skills, and relationships with others affect an individual's ability to resist offers of drugs. This volume provides a detailed analysis of drug resistance in the context of such factors as relationships, types of drugs, family and peer group relationships, personality, and situations. It places drug use and resistance in a living, relational context, and offers the first comprehensive communication and relational approach to drug resistance. The authors argue for the development of a relational and communication competence model of drug resistance, and suggest unique approaches for future drug prevention efforts. In describing the social and relational processes of drug resistance and then linking intervention techniques to the adolescents' relational world, this work makes a major contribution toward understanding drug use among adolescents. It informs relationship, communication, and psychology research, assists drug and health research by presenting new ways of considering the issue, and enlightens drug resistance practice by demonstrating a new approach to prevention. As such, it makes an effective and invaluable contribution to the ongoing efforts to reduce drug use among adolescents