How Black Disadvantaged Adolescents Socially Construct Reality: Listen, Do You Hear What I Hear? » (REVISED)

This book examines the ways in which black, disadvantaged children socially construct their reality and why this process plays a critical role in their creation and perception of self. Black adolescents develop a lifestyle and adopt values based on an identity grounded in racism, inequality and oppression. However, it has been argued that the identities of black children are defined by those in power who do not understand the full dynamics of African American culture. Black children who grow up in impoverished communities must contend with gangs, violence, poverty, and other impairing social factors that create negative self-concepts. It is important for researchers to understand both how these young people define themselves and how they view reality. This study investigates the phenomenon of poverty from cognitive, linguistic, and experiential in the lives of black, disadvantaged adolescents.

Booknews

In a pilot study applying Berger and Luckmann's social construction of reality framework, Brunious (Loyola U., Chicago) elicits perceptions about school, popular culture, and mass media from 20 Chicago inner- city black teens. Refuting the still prevalent myth that poor African- American youth suffer from cognitive deficits, the author concludes that a "causal network" of poverty, discrimination, school negativity, and misguided expressions of adolescent survival needs reinforce negative self-fulfilling prophecies. Includes original chapter artwork and one boy's gun-centered sketches. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknew.com)