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Showing papers in "Journal of Black Studies in 1984"


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: This article reported that conventional forms of mental illness (e.g., neurotic and psychotic reactions, drug addiction and abuse, suicidal behavior, deviant sexual behavior, and emotional stress generally) among African-Americans are approaching alarmingly high rates.
Abstract: Today we hear that conventional forms of mental illness (e.g., neurotic and psychotic reactions, drug addiction and abuse, suicidal behavior, deviant sexual behavior, and emotional stress generally) among African-Americans are approaching alarmingly high rates. Current estimates suggest that 1 out of every 20 to 25 urban Blacks is likely to encounter one of the traditional Western treatment-correctional institutions each year. Beyond these alarming statistics, consider the sociopolitical plight of Black people throughout the world today, amd especially in Africa and America, much of which has psychological implications itself. For example, Blacks are being oppressed by Europeans (and have been for some time) throughout the world. We are almost totally economically dependent on Europeans and our life-support resources

177 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the authors identify some characteristics of Western social science and suggest some alternative assumptions for the establishment of an African social science, arguing that African social scientists have failed to come to grips with the fact that the tools that they have acquired in the course of their training in the western social science tradition have illequipped them to deal with the fundamental task of liberating African people.
Abstract: Social science represents as much an expression of a people's ideology as it does a defense of that ideology (Asante, 1980). The extent to which that ideology contains elements of implicit oppression is the extent to which that particular social science is in fact an instrument of oppression. Nobles (1978a) discusses the fact that "Western Science, particularly social science, like the economic and political institutions has become an instrument designed to reflect the culture of the oppressor and to allow for the more efficient domination and oppression of African peoples." Consequently, the uncritical acceptance of the assumptions of Western science by African people is to participate in our own domination and oppression. Nobles, in the same discussion, goes on to justify the need for a social science system reflective of our cultural reality. Our objective in this discussion is to identify some characteristics of Western social science and to suggest some alternative assumptions for the establishment of an African social science. African social scientists have failed to come to grips with the fact that the tools that they have acquired in the course of their training in the Western social science tradition have illequipped them to deal with the fundamental task of liberating

157 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In the early 1970s, Wallace's "Black Macho and the Myth of the Superwoman" was published as discussed by the authors, which was a seminal work in the field of Black male-Black female relationships.
Abstract: Who is to blame? Currently, there is no dearth of attention directed to Black male-Black female relationships. Books, magazine articles, academic journal articles, public forums, radio programs, television shows, and everyday conversations have been devoted to Black male-Black female relationships for several years. Despite the fact that the topic has been discussed over the past several decades by some authors (e.g., Frazier, 1939; Drake and Cayton, 1945; Grier and Cobb, 1968), Wallace's Black Macho and the Myth of the Superwoman has been the point of departure for many contemporary discussions of the topic since its publication in 1979. Actually, Wallace's analysis was not so different in content from other analyses of Black male-Black female relationships (e.g., Drake and Cayton's analysis of "lower-class life" in Black Metropolis). But Wallace's analysis was "timely." Coming so soon on the heels of the Black movement in the late 1960s and early 1970s, and, at a time when many Black male-inspired gains for Blacks were disappearing rapidly, the book was explosive. Its theme, too, was provocative. Instead of repeating

64 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: A great deal of the concern expressed by parents, educators, and others about the possible influence of television on children is linked to the notion expressed above that television performs some socialization functions as discussed by the authors.
Abstract: The family, schools, and churches have long been recognized as major agents of socialization. Increasingly, television is being added to the list of institutions assuming key roles in the socialization process-the process by which one learns information, cognitive processes, values, attitudes, social roles, self-concepts, and behaviors that are generally accepted within American society (Berger and Luckmann, 1967; Dorr, 1982). Berry (1980) maintains that many youngsters use televised information, messages, and portrayals as a way of reinforcing and validating their beliefs and, in the process, grant television a role comparable to the traditional socializing agents. Similarly, Comstock et al. (1978) describe television as a source of vicarious socialization that competes with other socializing agents in providing role models and information that affect children's attitudes, beliefs, and behavior. A great deal of the concern expressed by parents, educators, and others about the possible influence of television on children is linked to the notion expressed above that television performs some socialization functions. Cognizant of the fact that television programs and characters may exert an influence on children's behavior, attitudes, values, and beliefs, Black parents and professionals became particularly concerned that television might (1) influence Black children's attitudes toward

39 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: For a long time, there was a dichotomy that excluded "other" Americans: anthropological archaeologists studied Native American populations, and historical archaeologists studied the archaeology of White Americans as discussed by the authors.
Abstract: One recent feature of North American archaeology is the consciousness that there is a need to be more aware of ethnic minorities (Schuyler, 1979) For a long time, there was a dichotomy that excluded "other" Americans: Anthropological archaeologists studied Native American populations, and historical archaeologists studied the archaeology of White Americans Archaeologists now are studying different communities, and in the American Southeast interesting studies have been made of plantation archaeology In the Caribbean there is a belated awareness of the need to study the archaeology of transplanted Africans as well as of Amerindians and Europeans Nevertheless, there is still an emphasis on sunken galleons, the first European towns, defensive structures, and prominent citizens' houses Archaeologists who study plantation sites rarely have had exposure to either the countries from which the slaves came or, in many cases, the fullness of

29 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors report the results of an examination of the social interaction between blacks and whites during the lunch hour in the cafeteria of a major public university in the United States.
Abstract: Numerous studies dealing with a wide range of variables have been conducted on interracial communication. Most frequently, they have concentrated on the interaction between American racial and ethnic groups and have been concerned with promoting race relations. This has occurred because the researchers have accepted the historical circumstance of blacks and whites in the United States to be one of conflict. The great bulk of these studies have been limited to research dealing with language, values, and verbal styles of blacks and whites. However, few researchers have examined social interaction of blacks and whites in public places. Erving Goffman's work on communication in public places is essentially devoid of information about blacks and whites. Consequently, the objective of this article is to report the results of an examination of the social interaction between blacks and whites during the lunch hour in the cafeteria of a major public university. Limitations of our study have been noted. We did not attempt

27 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors discuss how we should understand the imperialistic attitudes of multinational corporations in Africa; what implications they have for development; and how African countries can curb or minimize the imperialist role of the multinational corporations.
Abstract: The central issue this article attempts to discuss is how we should understand the imperialistic attitudes of multinational corporations in Africa; what implications they have for development; how African countries can curb or minimize the imperialistic role of the multinational corporations. The question in its simplest form, is how far multinational corporations promote imperialism in Africa. Many theorists associate imperialism with colonialism, neocolonialism, capitalism, and nationalism. J. A. Hobson (1972), the protagonist economic-political theorist of the heyday of colonialism (1885-1914), made colonialism the focal point of his book. He equated imperialism to colonialism. He saw in Britain the existence of “surplus capital as unprofitable means for investment.” The capitalists subsequently sought outlets abroad in the economically under-exploited continents. Britain, therefore, acquired colonies .in Africa as a dumping ground for surplus capital. Lenin agreed with Hobson by causally linking foreign investments with the acquisition of colonies. He understood that “imperialism is a stage of capitalist development.” One of the basic features of imperialism is “the formation of the international capitalist monopolies which share out the world among themselves” (V. I. Lenin

22 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Since the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, which eliminated legal barriers to voting and authorized federal examiners to register persons denied the right to vote by local officials, several million blacks have registered and voted as discussed by the authors.
Abstract: Unlike the areas of employment, education, and housing, black progress in the area of politics has been clear and consistent. Since the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, which eliminated legal barriers to voting and authorized federal examiners to register persons denied the right to vote by local officials, several million blacks have registered and voted (Campbell and Feagin, 1975: 122). The gains were made early in the cities but later in the small towns and rural areas, where registration was often made the more difficult by uncooperative local officials (Brunn, 1974: 82). That blacks can have an impact on decisions rendered and problems solved has led many local and statewide groups to engage in massive voter registration drives and to encourage blacks to run for elective office (Brunn, 1974: 81). There is little question that the higher levels of registration and voting made possible by the act have resulted in a sizable increase in the

13 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Preaching as a specialized form of public address has been studied in the speech field for a number of years, and a large body of research findings has accumulated as discussed by the authors, with rare exceptions, this material lying quite hidden away in university libraries.
Abstract: American preaching, then, from a substantive point of view has never been adequately described and interpreted, nor has such an analysis ever been attempted, except from restricted sectarian points of view.... Preaching as a specialized form of public address has been studied in the speech field for a number of years, and a large body of research findings has accumulated. With rare exceptions, this material lies quite hidden away in university libraries [Holland, 1969: 11-12].

12 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The attainment of education for blacks in the United States has inauspicious origins in the early history of this country when enslaved Africans were forbidden by law to receive educational instruction as discussed by the authors.
Abstract: The attainment of education for blacks in the United States has inauspicious origins in the early history of this country when enslaved Africans were forbidden by law to receive educational instruction. Although some masters allowed their slaves to learn to read and write, the vast majority of blacks were illiterate, a condition that continued through the nineteenth century. Emancipation resulted in the migration of many blacks to the North and black progress occurred in education as well as a number of other areas such as health and employment (U.S. Bureau of the Census, 1979). The Bureau of the Census (1979) reports that this progress has continued through the twentieth century; however, the decade of the 1960s marked the most significant gains for

11 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The lack of ideological clarity and unity in the African World today is especially distressing in light of the abundance of historical evidence that substantiates the supposition that Africans on the mainland and those in the diaspora have been suffering from and responding to a common historical experience in a manner that has not been qualitatively different from one region of the world to another as mentioned in this paper.
Abstract: One of the most serious deficiencies facing the African World today is its apparent lack of ideological clarity and unity. This grave weakness leaves the African masses without that most effective weapon to harness their energies throughout the world in an effort to guide them toward collective action in the pursuit of common aims and objectives. This problem, nay crisis, is especially distressing in light of the abundance of historical evidence that substantiates the supposition that Africans on the mainland and those in the diaspora have been suffering from and responding to a common historical experience in a manner that has not been qualitatively different from one region of the world to another (Padmore, 1931; James, 1969; DuBois, 1970). That this common historical experience has been shaped by centuries of political-economic domination resulting from European insufficiency and expansionism is without question.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Wilson and Thompson as discussed by the authors pointed out that neither side had the slightest intention of doing anything to weaken white control over the African population, and they were careful not to stir indignation or arouse passionate resentment against whites by inviting non-Europeans into their quarrel.
Abstract: One may read many histories of the Anglo-Boer War of 1899 to 1902 without recognizing that non-Europeans ("European" is a South African euphemism for white people) helped end a war that attracted considerable attention throughout the world. Undue emphasis has been placed upon the conception that the Anglo-Boer War was a "white man's war." Even Leonard M. Thompson, one of the most respected authorities on South African history, has insisted, "Bitterly though the war was fought, it was a white man's war." Thompson explains that "neither side had the slightest intention of doing anything to weaken white control over the African population" (Wilson and Thompson, 1971: 326). This reflects the establishment philosophy of both the British and the Boers. They were careful not to stir indignation or arouse passionate resentment against whites by inviting non-Europeans into their quarrel. Contrary to popular opinion, however, there was extensive use of nonEuropeans in both support and active combat roles in the Anglo-Boer War.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, a distinction is made by the people between "lala," ordinary generic song, and "wiemo lala" (poetry), where a special demand is made on language, skill, and creativity.
Abstract: Ga traditional poetry,' like its counterparts among the Akans and Ewes of Ghana (Beier, 1967), is available mainly in spoken, sung, or chanted forms. Like them, it also consists of the religious and the secular. But the present analytical effort is directed toward the latter-the secular poetry that is more pervasive in the community and admits of direct popular participation.' The fact that this secular material is sung does not in any way negate its poetic and literary status. Among the Gas, the term for song is "lala"; and the same term modifying "wiemo lala" (talking song), refers to poetry. Thus, a distinction is seen to be made by the people between "lala," ordinary generic song, and "wiemo lala" (poetry), where a special demand is made on language, skill, and creativity. This Ga poetic attribute seems to be shared by most West African languages where the terms for song and verse are significantly the same (Barry, 1960). Poetry, therefore, does not exist separately from song in the society. Moreover, one does find in traditional African literature texts that contain obvious characteristics of poetry by reason of their compositions, the verse structures, tonal patterns,

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The life and thought of Martin Delany are objects of recent scholarship because of his frequent identification as the American black community's first black nationalist as discussed by the authors, and it is a life that is only summarized with great difficulty since Delany could lay claim to so many different careers and accomplishments: physician, newspaper writer and editor, abolitionist lecturer, inventor, novelist, African explorer, army recruiter, infantry major, administrator for the Freedmen's Bureau, real estate agent, candidate for Lieutenant Governor of South Carolina, trial judge, and finance chairman for a black steamship company.
Abstract: The life and thought of Martin Delany are objects of recent scholarship because of his frequent identification as the American black community's first black nationalist.1 One marvels to learn that the life of an American black man in the nineteenth century could encompass the adventures, accomplishments, and versatility of both a picaresque hero and a Renaissance man. Yet, Martin Delany lived such a life.2 It is a life that is only summarized with great difficulty since Delany could lay claim to so many different careers and accomplishments: physician, newspaper writer and editor, abolitionist lecturer, inventor, novelist, African explorer, army recruiter, infantry major, administrator for the Freedmen's Bureau, real estate agent, candidate for Lieutenant Governor of South Carolina, trial judge, and finance chairman for a black steamship company. The locations for some of the adventures during this life-long odyssey included: Pittsburgh, Boston, Cleveland, Chatham in West Canada, Yorubaland in Africa, London, Washington, D.C., and South Carolina. His life also crossedsometimes just for a brief encounter and sometimes long enough for a feud or joint venture to develop the paths of such well-known contemporaries as Frederick Douglass, Wil-

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: This paper argued that there are few areas within the discipline of sociology in which the goal and the urgency of understanding are more pressing than in the subfield of race relations, and that the sociological enterprise consists of bringing about an understanding of social situations, social institutions, and the dynamics of group behavior.
Abstract: It is generally assumed that the sociological enterprise consists of bringing about an understanding of social situations, social institutions, and the dynamics of group behavior. Perhaps there are few areas within the discipline of sociology in which the goal and the urgency of understanding are more pressing than in the subfield of race relations. In striving for understanding, Rex (1970: 7) urges,

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: This paper provided a cultural analysis of the various theories surrounding black language and examined the nature of the two developments politically-based attitudes and self-determination toward black communication through evaluating the strengths and weak points of these theories.
Abstract: The controversial issues surrounding black language remain unresolved (Brasch, 1981; Harrison and Trabasso, 1976; R. L. Williams, 1975). Careful analysis of the prevailing theories on black communication reveals two developments: (1) Attitudes and practices toward black language in the United States have been politically based, and (2) African Americans have the right of self-definition in determining the meaning and implications of black language. These two developments are not symmetrical-the first is rooted in white culture and the second finds its source in the black community. Various theories have been advanced and conclusions drawn in regard to black language (Brasch, 1981; Harrison and Trabasso, 1976; R. L. Williams, 1975). This analysis differs in that it represents a cultural critique of approaches to black language studies. In this discussion, I shall provide a cultural analysis of the various theories surrounding black language. In addition, I will examine the nature of the two developmentspolitically based attitudes and self-determination toward black communication-through evaluating the strengths and weak-

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In the emergent literature on black political participation and power in the United States, there is a lack of attention to black appointed officials as a subgroup in the burgeoning black politician class.
Abstract: In the emergent literature on black political participation and power in the United States, there is a lack of attention to black appointed officials as a subgroup in the burgeoning black politician class. Rather, there is almost an exclusive preoccupation with black elected officials. At the state and local level there is descriptive research analyzing aggregate gains of blacks in elected office (Conyers and Wallace, 1976; Campbell and Feagin, 1975), assessing the electoral base of black officeholding (Murray and Vedlitz, 1978; Hadden et al., 1968; Bullock, 1975), analyzing the attitudes and beliefs of black office holders (Cole, 1976; Salamon, 1973), analyzing the structure of ambition and the leadership recruitment process (Stone, 1980; Eisinger, 1978), and looking at the impact of black office holding on public policy (Keller, 1978; Jones, 1978; Watson, 1980). And at the national level there is a small body of literature on the black members of Congress and their organization, the Congressional Black Caucus (Barnett, 1975;

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The housing that families require varies depending upon family life cycle as discussed by the authors, as families move through stages of formation, maturation, and dissolution and therefore require different types of housing structures, space, and location.
Abstract: The housing that families require varies depending upon family life cycle. Family life cycle can be divided into seven stages: namely, (1) marriage or household formation: (2) prechild (constant size); (3) child-bearing (increasing size); (4) child-rearing (constant size); (5) child-launching (decreasing size); (6) postchild (constant size); and (7) widowhood or family dissolution. Thus, families move through stages of formation, maturation, and dissolution and therefore require different types of housing structures, space, and location (Wilson, 1979:5).

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: For several years now, scholarly research has addressed the issue of the survival of African elements within the lifestyles of peoples of African descent in the diaspora as mentioned in this paper, and the contention for a long time, among some black scholars as well as white, was that it seemed quite impossible that any element of Africanism could survive in an environment that threatened any overt expression of such cultural identity.
Abstract: For several years now, scholarly research has addressed the issue of the survival of African elements within the lifestyles of peoples of African descent in the diaspora. This research has been conducted especially in regard to Africans who were forcibly separated from their African homeland through slave trading experienced on their continent. The contention for a long time, among some black scholars as well as white, was that under such circumstances as chattel slavery it seemed quite impossible that any element of Africanism could survive in an environment that threatened any overt expression of such cultural identity. However, as time unfolds, we find that no matter how oppressed the African and his progeny, no matter how suppressed his cultural heritage, he has managed to retain in his safekeeping some parts (whether in full or partial form) of the original African way entirely to himself. Many of these

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The performance of comedy before an audience is essentially a form of human communication While it entertains, it also communicates a variety of messages, some obvious and some subtle It functions as a vehicle of phatic communion among members of a particular social or cultural group For groups such as Barbadians and Trinidadians or black Americans engaged in humorous verbal exchange or comic storytelling the humor can reinforce group solidarity, provide a context for the development of verbal and social skills, and even provide a means of coping with various adverse social and political circumstances as discussed by the authors.
Abstract: The performance of comedy before an audience is essentially a form of human communication While it entertains, it also communicates a variety of messages, some obvious and some subtle It functions as a vehicle of phatic communion among members of a particular social or cultural group For groups such as Barbadians and Trinidadians or black Americans engaged in humorous verbal exchange or comic storytelling the humor can reinforce group solidarity, provide a context for the development of verbal and social skills, and even provide a means of coping with various adverse social and political circumstances According to Cummings (1980), "It was because of our boundless appreciation of comedy and our uncanny ability to laugh at ourselves that we [black people] were able to turn our own human frailties and the host of negative experiences we've had into positive strong characteristic features" This article argues that the humor that is contained in the narratives and monologues written and performed by blacks in

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: According to Florence Ladd, dean of students at Wellesley College, "Escalating retrenchment virtually guarantees that no substantial gains in the number of Black faculty will be realized in the future" as mentioned in this paper.
Abstract: According to Florence Ladd, Dean of Students at Wellesley College, "Escalating retrenchment virtually guarantees that no substantial gains in the number of Black faculty will be realized in the future" (quoted in the Chronicle of Higher Education, May 18, 1981). To be sure, the retrenchment process entails increasingly detailed scrutiny of faculty credentials in tenure/promotion reviews. In a recent study of the Urban League, it is reported that over 45% of the surveyed Black faculty members without tenure rated their chances of obtaining tenure as limited. To further substantiate the preceding point, a recent comparative study of minority and nonminority faculty perceptions of career opportunities at Penn State (1982} found that no Black faculty on the tenure track indicated they "thought tenure is possible" or "expect to get tenure and make a career at Penn State." It is within this tenuous academic environment that the search for new rhetorical tools by Black communication scholars will be discussed.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the authors whose ethnic identity could be verified were included in the bibliography, and the identification of an author's identity included the appearance of author's photograph in publication (s); my personal knowledge of the author; indication of ethnicity in the card catalogue of the MoorlandSpingarn Research Center, Howard University; identification
Abstract: Scholars increasingly are examining modes of communication, language variations, attitudes, and policies from a black perspective. Although not purporting to be exhaustive, this bibliography covers a wide spectrum of books by black authors and should facilitate this endeavor. More specifically, it should do the following: (1) assist research scholars, teachers, artists, and students in identifying works by black authors; (2) enhance instructional and research programs, particularly in Afro-American studies and fields related to ethnic groups; and (3) ensure that contributions of Afro-American authors to the intellectual development of this nation will not be "lost, strayed, or stolen." Only those authors whose ethnic identity could be verified were included in the bibliography. Verification of an author's identity included the following: appearance of author's photograph in publication (s); my personal knowledge of the author; indication of ethnicity in the card catalogue of the MoorlandSpingarn Research Center, Howard University; identification

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The creation and perpetuation of the social spatial mosaic of a metropolitan area in the United States is a result of thousands of individual migrations, each of which involved a decision-making process that included elements unique to each household as mentioned in this paper.
Abstract: The creation and perpetuation of the social spatial mosaic of a metropolitan area in the United States is a result of thousands of individual migrations. Each of these moves involved a decision-making process that included elements unique to each household. Embodied in each decision were personally unique goals, needs, and aspirations, as well as particular constraints that may have qualified or limited the realization of these desires. Virtually every household is subject to constraints. Income and distance to work, for example, are limitations that are experienced by most households. Households of a few subgroups, however, experience a unique set of constraints. Blacks, for example, have been limited to a particular segment of the city, primarily as a function of race. This limitation still exists, regardless of strong civil rights laws and activities that have occurred during the last decade. Blacks may be termed a constrained population, therefore, because of this unique and influential limitation. Intra-urban migration is a popular topic among the many geographers, sociologists, and other urbanists concerned with the social composition of the American City. The traditional

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In the publication American Black Scientists and Inventors (Jenkins, 1975), we were told of 12 black Americans whose contributions as scientists and inventors significantly benefitted mankind Consistent in all their lives was the fact that each endured hardships and deprivations that were imposed upon them because of their impoverished economic status and their race.
Abstract: In the publication American Black Scientists and Inventors (Jenkins, 1975), we were told of 12 black Americans1 whose contributions as scientists and inventors significantly benefitted mankind Consistent in all their lives was the fact that each endured hardships and deprivations that were imposed upon them because of their impoverished economic status and because of their race In later life, several of these men became actively involved with civic groups that sought to improve the lot of minorities while others were known to make public statements that protested racial inequities or made a plea for justice All, apparently, felt the sting of racial bias and discrimination, and each reacted in a way consistent with his perception of these practices and the uniqueness of his personality When young George Washington Carver applied for admission to Highland College, so impressive was his record that he was accepted as a scholarship student But when he appeared at the institution, presenting his letter of admission, he was

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the author's attempt to understand the how and why of the many distortions and the gross sophistry connected with Western research on African history and culture is described. But, as the research and thinking for this article progressed, it became clear that one need not resort to charges of insanity in order to understand Western scholarship dealing with Africa and Africans-in fact to the contrary, because the distortions serve to help keep Western sanity intact.
Abstract: This article results from the author's attempts to understand the how and why of the many distortions and the gross sophistry connected with Western research on African history and culture. Upon becoming aware of the pervasiveness of the distortions, one begins to wonder whether or not Westerners are collectively insane. Minds that are the epitome of lucidity on nonracial matters become nebulous, muddled, blurred, and illogical when it comes to racial matters. It also became evident that editors of books and scholarly journals tolerate loose and illogical reasoning in studies dealing with African culture and history to an extent that would be unthinkable in areas not touching on race and ethnicity. However, as the research and thinking for this article progressed, it became clear that one need not resort to charges of insanity in order to understand Western scholarship dealing with Africa and Africans-in fact to the contrary, because the distortions serve to help keep Western sanity intact. The title of this article was not decided upon until the study itself was essentially finished. Before then, no appropriate title suggested itself. However, by the time the article was about finished, it became quite clear that the question being dealt with fell into the realm of the sociology of knowledge;

Journal ArticleDOI
Cecil A. Blake1
TL;DR: In this article, the authors examine three key issues that have a direct relationship to communication effectiveness at the international level, and propose to examine the relationship between these issues and the overall nature of the international system.
Abstract: Now more than ever, the character and structure of the international system present obstacles to effective diplomacy. Various means of communication have been utilized ranging from the traditional mode of negotiation to the now-rampant form of coercion. Many groups across the world adopt kidnapping tactics or damage to human life and property as a means of communicating their grievances internationally. We cannot easily call this period and its obsession with nondiscursive means of communicating their grievances a flight from rationality. Rationality has to be determined contextually. It is quite difficult to talk about international standards when the system reflects resistance to modification, much more change. The overall nature of the composition of states in the international system requires modification. We see however that the older nations get more defensive and reactionary and the newer nations still groping with growth pains. In this essay, I propose-to examine three key issues that have a direct relationship to communication effectiveness at the international level. Though the title of the work indicates a discussion on diplomatic communication strategies, the discus-

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors examined folklore for the insights it provides about the choices and acts of Black slaves and found that a people's world view is their picture of the way things, in sheer actuality are, their concepts of nature, of self, of society.
Abstract: The environment that contributed most to what is distinctive about Afro-American culture and that influenced the development of the slave's character was the slave's quarters (Blassingame, 1972). From the quarters came Black folktales, which helped to guide, control, entertain, and instruct slaves in their everyday lives (Bascom, 1954). Folktales served as a form of communication to articulate the slave's interests, needs, beliefs, values, experiences, and thoughts (Ben-Amos, 1971). The tales attested to practices and habits that Blacks taught each other in the relative privacy and freedom of their quarters. The majority of Black stories are merely collections of folk items, with little analysis added. Recently, researchers have begun to examine folklore for the insights it provides about the choices and acts of Black slaves. Investigators have used two basic approaches when analyzing folklore. One group examines folktales for the slave's "world view" (Levine, 1977; Welsh and Asante, 1981; Roberts, 1982; Okeke-Ezigbo, 1982). The other analyzes the tales for the slave's "ethos" (Geertz, 1978; Stuckey, 1968). The differences between the two approaches are specified by Clifford Geertz (1978: 303), who notes that a people's world view is "their picture of the way things, in sheer actuality are, their concepts of nature, of self, of society. It contains their

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the authors present data collected over a 7-year period on students-Black, White, and others-enrolling in a Black Studies Program at a private, medium-sized, highly prestigious, Midwestern university.
Abstract: This article presents data collected over a 7-year period on students-Black, White, and others-enrolling in a Black Studies Program at a private, medium-sized, highly prestigious, Midwestern university. It explores an underresearched area in Black Studies, that is, students' perceptions of and attitudes toward this curriculum. This study has, as its purpose, to ascertain the reason or reasons why students, Black students in particular, enroll in Black Studies courses, and the relationship among their reasons for enrolling and their attitudes toward the program. For several years, the Black Studies Program at Washington University (St. Louis, Missouri) has been systematically administering a research survey instrument that yields information about attributes of the student population in Black Studies courses (such as, race, classification, major, sex) about previous and current enrollment in the program, and about students' perceptions of and attitudes toward the program. A wealth of data has been compiled that sheds light on the