What communicative experiences are particular to African Americans? How do many African Americans define themselves culturally? How do they perceive intracultural and intercultural communication? These questions are answered in this second edition of African American Communication: Exploring Identity and Culture. Informing multiple audiences interested in African American culture, from cultural researchers and practitioners to educators, policymakers, and community leaders, this innovative and invaluable resource examines the richness and depth of African American communication norms and patterns, as well as African American identities. Positive and healthy African American identities are centrally positioned throughout the book. Applying the cultural contracts theory and the communication theory of identity, authors Michael L. Hecht, Ronald L. Jackson II, and Sidney A. Ribeau explore relationships among African Americans, as well as between African Americans and European Americans, while highlighting the need for sensitivity to issues of power when discussing race, ethnicity, and culture. This wide-ranging volume provides an extensive review of the relevant literature and offers recommendations designed to encourage understanding of African American communication in a context extending beyond Eurocentric paradigms. Considering African American identity with a communicative, linguistic, and relational focus, this volume: *Defines African American identities by describing related terms, such as self, self-concept, personhood and identity; *Explores Afrocentricity and African American discourse; *Examines the status of African Americans in the United States using census statistics and national studies from other research agencies; *Considers identity negotiation and competence; and *Features a full chapter on African American relationships, including gendered, familial, intimate, adolescent and adult, homosexual, friendship, communal, and workplace relationships. African American Communication: Exploring Identity and Culture begins an important dialogue in the communication discipline, intercultural studies, African American studies and other fields concerned with the centrality of culture and communication as it relates to human behavior. It is intended for advanced students and scholars in intercultural communication, interpersonal communication, communication theory, African American/Black studies, social psychology, sociolinguistics, education, and family studies.
Author(s): Sidney A. Ribeau, Michael L. Hecht, Ronald L. Jackson
Series: Lea’s Communication Series
Edition: 2
Publisher: Routledge
Year: 2002
Language: English
Pages: 344
Contents......Page 6
About the Authors......Page 12
Acknowledgments......Page 14
Preface......Page 16
1 Introduction......Page 22
Origins of African American Culture......Page 29
Historical Roots of the Composite African American Experience and the Metatheory of Afrocentricity......Page 31
African Americans in Contemporary U.S. Culture......Page 33
Employment......Page 34
Social Structure......Page 37
Institutions......Page 41
African American Culture and Communication......Page 47
An Interpretive, Cultural Approach......Page 48
Communication as a Cultural Process: A Perspective......Page 49
Sensitizing Constructs......Page 54
Summary and Overview of Chapters......Page 63
2 Self, Identity, Cultural Identity, and African American Cultural Identity......Page 66
Self-Concept and Identity......Page 68
Social Categorization and Identity......Page 70
Hierarchical Organization of Identity......Page 72
Types of Identities......Page 77
Identity and Social Interaction......Page 82
The Process of Identity......Page 87
Cultural Identity......Page 90
Ethnolinguistic Identity......Page 92
African American Cultural Identity......Page 94
Conclusion......Page 109
3 Communication Competence......Page 111
Defining Competence......Page 112
Effectiveness and Appropriateness......Page 113
Knowledge, Motivation, and Skills......Page 116
Cultural Differences in Communication Competence Patterns......Page 117
Cultural Appropriateness......Page 120
African American Norms for Acquaintances......Page 124
African American Norms for Friends......Page 125
African American Norms Within Unequal Power Relationships......Page 126
African American Norms During Conflict......Page 127
Cultural Effectiveness......Page 128
Intercultural Communication Issues......Page 131
Intercultural Conversational Improvement Strategies......Page 145
Intracultural Communication Effectiveness......Page 156
Conclusion......Page 159
4 African American Language and Communication Styles......Page 161
Language Style......Page 163
Black English......Page 164
Code or Style Switching......Page 170
Oral Tradition......Page 177
Core Symbols and Communication Style......Page 181
Sharing......Page 182
Uniqueness......Page 188
Positivity and Emotionality......Page 189
Realism......Page 190
Assertiveness......Page 191
Coping Styles......Page 193
Interpersonal Styles......Page 194
Summary......Page 198
5 African American Relationships and Cultural Identity Negotiation......Page 200
African American Children and Youth Relationships......Page 201
Development of Racial Attitudes Among African American Children......Page 202
Race-Related Stress Among African American Adolescents......Page 204
African American Adolescents and Educational Achievement......Page 206
Gender Identity Differences Among African American Adolescents and Adults......Page 208
African American Family Structure......Page 212
Sibling Relationships......Page 219
Parent–Child Relationships......Page 222
Informal Adoption......Page 223
Formal Adoptions......Page 224
Motherhood......Page 226
Fatherhood......Page 229
Adult Friendship Networks......Page 232
Dating Relationships......Page 234
Marital Relationships......Page 237
Homosexual Relationships......Page 241
African American Workplace Relationships......Page 243
Conclusion......Page 246
Status of African Americans in the United States......Page 248
Communication Theory of Identity......Page 250
Basic Concepts of the Communication Theory of Identity......Page 251
Frames of Reference......Page 254
Basic Assumptions of the Theory......Page 256
Applications of the Theory......Page 259
Cultural Contracts Theory......Page 262
Basic Premises......Page 263
Basic Assumptions of Cultural Contracts Theory......Page 265
Cultural Contract Types......Page 266
Future Directions......Page 271
Research Methodology......Page 275
Practical Applications......Page 281
Conclusion......Page 282
References......Page 284
B......Page 320
C......Page 321
F......Page 322
H......Page 323
J......Page 324
M......Page 325
P......Page 326
S......Page 327
V......Page 328
Z......Page 329
A......Page 330
C......Page 331
D......Page 333
F......Page 334
H......Page 335
I......Page 336
M......Page 337
P......Page 338
R......Page 339
S......Page 340
U......Page 341
W......Page 342
