Western journal of black studies 

About: Western journal of black studies is an academic journal. The journal publishes majorly in the area(s): Racism & Higher education. It has an ISSN identifier of 0197-4327. Over the lifetime, 670 publications have been published receiving 7311 citations.

Racism without Racists: Color-Blind Racism, and Racial Inequality in Contemporary America

Abstract: Racism Without Racists: Color-Blind Racism, and Racial Inequality in Contemporary America. AUTHOR: EDUARDO BONILLA-SILVA ROWMAN & LLTTLEFLELD PUBLISHERS, 2010 PRICE: $28.95 ISBN: 978-1-4422-0218-4 The tome may be divided into six (6) parts or sections, grouping its ten (10) chapters by theme. The first part (consisting of Ch. 1, "The Strange Enigma of Race in Contemporary America," introduces the book's subject. The second part (Chs. 2-4) is dedicated to an explication of the conceptual and ideological system of colorblind racism. The third section (Chs. 5-7) deals with the limits of "the new racism" (of which colorblind racism is the operating system) as concerns black and white communities in the U.S. In the fourth section (Ch. 8, "E Pluribus Unum or the Same Old Perfume in a New Bottle? On the Future of Racial Stratification in the U.S."), the author poses his most provocative idea: that racism in the U.S. is becoming more and more like racism in Latin America, a process Bonilla-Silva dubs "Latin Americanization." The fifth section of the book (Ch. 9, "Will Racism Disappear in Obamerica? The Sweet (but Deadly) Enchantment of Color Blindness in Black Face") renders Bonilla- Silva's critical judgment of the U.S. President, a chapter added especially for this third edition. Finally, the sixth and last section (Ch. 10, "Conclusion: 'The (Color-Blind) Emperor Has No Clothes': Exposing the Whiteness of Color Blindness") offers the author's thoughts about the task of challenging colorblind racism. The principal virtues of the book are largely contained in its first three parts (i.e., Chs. 1-7). One such noteworthy virtue is Bonilla-Silva's identification of the frames, rhetorical styles, and stories of the new racism as expressed in colorblind racism. As an ideology, colorblind racism, the author maintains, like all ideologies, expresses "ideas in the service of power (25)." There are four (4) basic frames: abstract liberalism; naturalization; cultural racism; and the minimization of racism (26-30). An example of abstract liberalism is a belief in "equal opportunity" at the same time justifying racial inequality and opposing affirmative action as "preferential treatment." Naturalization is a frame which permits the U.S. white majority to reject any consideration of racial phenomena since these phenomena are simply "natural", not man-made, developments. Cultural racism finds expression in observations such as "Mexicans have too many children," and "Afro-Americans don't value education", in order to explain the subordinate position of people of color in American society. And, the minimization frame encourages the belief that racial discrimination is lessening, or has disappeared, in this country and, thus, forms no significant impediment to the social status and mobility of people of color in the U.S. (A brilliant work of exposition on the legal basis for whiteness in the U.S., which anticipates some of these points made by Bonilla-Silva--e.g., naturalization [though defined legally], transparency, identity through negation, the role of language in constructing white racial identity--is Ian Haney Lopez, White By Law: The Legal Construction of Race, New York University Press, 1996, 2006.) Complementing the basic frames of colorblind racism, according to Bonilla-Silva, are its characteristic rhetorical styles. Five (5) styles are prevalent, uncovered by the author's interview research: avoidance of direct language about racial matters; the use of "verbal parachutes" to escape difficult subjects (e.g., affirmative action); psychological projection; the use of diminutives; and, as a last resort when facing an extremely sensitive racial topic (e.g., interracial marriage), the retreat into total verbal incoherence. Woven into the styles of colorblind racism are also its typical stories, which are of two (2) kinds: story lines and testimonies. Story lines revolve around four (4) basic claims: "The past is the past"; "I didn't own any slaves"; "The Jews, Italians, and Irish made it, why not black people? …

The Impact of Race and Gender on Graduate School Socialization, Satisfaction with Doctoral Study, and Commitment to Degree Completion

Abstract: Introduction As graduate program officers intensify their recruitment of minorities and women, graduate school deans, department heads, and faculty members more frequently confront issues beyond academic ones. The issue of race and education that drove parts of the civil rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s has not disappeared even though the doors to select colleges and universities have opened to students of color and women. Battles for educational equity are not violent, as they were thirty years ago. Twenty-first century educational warfare consists of quiet battles, but just as intense for many Black students and women who pursue doctoral degrees in predominantly White colleges and universities. This study examines some of these struggles for educational equity. Most students in doctoral degree programs in select colleges and universities are White (The Chronicle of Higher Education Almanac, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, and 1999). Although the numbers of Black students have increased, Black students are still very much in the minority in doctoral programs. This lack of diversity among doctoral students is a concern to administrators, faculty members, and policy makers alike, for future university professors will come from these doctoral programs. In order to increase the pool of minority graduate faculty members, specifically Blacks, from which colleges and universities can hire, opportunities must be provided for Black students (both men and women) and women of all races to participate and succeed at the doctoral level (Berg & Ferber, 1983; Blackwell, 1987; Brown, 1988, 1992; Chamberlain, 1988; Solmon, 1976; and Wilkerson, 1987). This study has investigated the experiences of Black male and female doctoral students as well as those of White men and women. The inclusiveness of the sample allowed the investigator to explore other theories that suggest that graduate school experiences may vary by race and/or gender (Carter, Pearson, & Shavlik, 1988; Nerad & Miller, 1988; Nettles, 1990; Sandler, 1986; Turner & Thompson, 1993; and Wilkerson, 1987). Among the participants are graduates of doctoral programs and students who were in the process of completing doctoral degrees. The objective was to determine if any discernible differences influenced graduate school socialization, satisfaction with graduate study, and commitment to completing the doctoral degree. This paper addresses socialization and satisfaction only. Literature Review There is an increasing body of literature that focuses on the experiences of graduate students in American universities. Although there is a smaller body of literature that investigates the experiences of specific groups during doctoral study, this body of literature continues to grow. The literature published before the 1970s rarely addressed the experiences of Black graduate students. The number of Blacks in graduate education was not very high prior to 1970 and the challenges that Blacks faced entering graduate programs, specifically doctoral programs, did not appear to make many research agendas. It is also possible that some of the studies that examined issues of race and education on the graduate level were not published during this racially volatile time. In 1972 one of the most important publications on the experiences of Black students on predominantly White campuses was produced (Willie & McCord, 1972). Although Willie and McCord studied the lives of undergraduate students, their groundbreaking work may have opened doors to research on students of color in all areas of higher education, including graduate work. Many of the findings in the 1972 book provide conceptual frameworks for student development studies being done today, and they were significant contributors to this investigator. The 1980s might be considered a period of growth for studies that investigated the higher education experiences of Black students on the undergraduate and graduate levels. …

African American Psychology: From Africa to America

Abstract: African American Psychology: From Africa to America AUTHORS: FAYE Z. BELGRAVE AND KEVIN W. ALLLISON SAGE PUBLICATIONS, 2005 PRICE: $54.95 ISBN: 0-7619-2471-X African American Psychology: From Africa to America is a comprehensive book that bridges the gap between African centered and Western or Eurocentric ideologies utilized to study the psychology of African Americans. The book highlights converging and diverging historical, theoretical, and methodological perspectives. The book is divided into four sections and 14 chapters. Each chapter begins with a proverb, a recent news event, and historical antecedents that captures the spirit of "sankofa" to aid the reader in understanding the importance of looking to ones past in order to understand the present and look forward to the future. Section I sets the tone by highlighting the historical foundation of African American psychology by defining it from both an Africentric perspective and one that draws upon Western/Eurocentric psychology. The authors suggest that while the two approaches are disparate with one focusing on understanding of the self through self-realization (Africentric) and the other through prediction and control (Eurocentric), it is acknowledged that both perspectives have had a profound impact on understanding African Americans. For instance, the authors provide evidence on how scientific racism influenced perceptions of the inferiority of Blacks. This includes but is not limited to a discussion of comparative studies in physical anthropology from the eugenics movement in the 19th century to contemporary discussions of intellectual inferiority of Blacks as proffered in the book, The Bell Curve. This section also delineates the role of several prominent African American psychologists and organizations and their role in increasing culturally appropriate research, cultural diversity in psychology, and increasing awareness of African American psychology The second section, "Social Systems and Structures" reviews the role of the family, educational system, and communities on the psychology of African Americans. A review of historical perspectives on the study of African American families points to early work in the 20th century which utilized a deficit model when describing African American families to work in the mid-1960's to present which emphasize the strengths of African American families. The section further examines sociopolitical forces that have deleteriously impacted African American families (e.g., slavery; welfare system; institutional racism), how research has often times failed to consider these factors, and how this may lead to a distorted view of African American families and children. Converging themes between Eurocentric and Africentric perspectives highlight how a sense of connection (e.g., social support) with ones neighborhood and community is a critical component of cultural heritage and individual development. Section III examines individual and developmental processes. Cumulatively, this section extends the previous by illustrating the centrality of relationships with others in the lives of African Americans such as family, friends, romantic partners, and religious/spiritual relations. Reviewed are Africentric and Eurocentric theories and research on cognitive processes, beliefs about the self, and lifespan development. A topic often overlooked or not fully attended to in traditional psychology texts, religion and spirituality also is reviewed. Spirituality and religion among African Americans emanate from traditional African religions and permeate every aspect of life (e. …