Black Mosaic : The Politics of Black Pan-Ethnic Diversity / Candis Watts Smith.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Smith, Candis Watts, Author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Cultural pluralism--United States.

Cultural pluralism.

Pan-Africanism--Social aspects--United States.

Pan-Africanism.

Immigrants--United States--Social conditions.

Immigrants.

Black people--United States--Social conditions.

Black people.

African Americans--Relations with Hispanic Americans.

African Americans.

African Americans--Relations with Caribbean Americans.

African Americans--Relations with Africans.

African Americans--Race identity.

United States--Population.

United States.

United States--Race relations.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (288 p.)

Edition:

1st ed.

Place of Publication:

New York, NY : New York University Press, [2014]

Language Note:

English

Summary:

Historically, Black Americans have easily found common ground on political, social, and economic goals. Yet, there are signs of increasing variety of opinion among Blacks in the United States, due in large part to the influx of Afro-Latino, Afro-Caribbean, and African immigrants to the United States. In fact, the very definition of “African American” as well as who can self-identity as Black is becoming more ambiguous. Should we expect African Americans’ shared sense of group identity and high sense of group consciousness to endure as ethnic diversity among the population increases? In Black Mosaic, Candis Watts Smith addresses the effects of this dynamic demographic change on Black identity and Black politics. Smith explores the numerous ways in which the expanding and rapidly changing demographics of Black communities in the United States call into question the very foundations of political identity that has united African Americans for generations. African Americans’ political attitudes and behaviors have evolved due to their historical experiences with American Politics and American racism. Will Black newcomers recognize the inconsistencies between the American creed and American reality in the same way as those who have been in the U.S. for several generations? If so, how might this recognition influence Black immigrants’ political attitudes and behaviors? Will race be a site of coalition between Black immigrants and African Americans? In addition to face-to-face interviews with African Americans and Black immigrants, Smith employs nationally representative survey data to examine these shifts in the attitudes of Black Americans. Filling a significant gap in the political science literature to date, Black Mosaic is a groundbreaking study about the state of race, identity, and politics in an ever-changing America. Historically, Black Americans have easily found common ground on political, social, and economic goals. Yet, there are signs of increasing variety of opinion among Blacks in the United States, due in large part to the influx of Afro-Latino, Afro-Caribbean, and African immigrants to the United States. In fact, the very definition of “African American” as well as who can self-identity as Black is becoming more ambiguous. Should we expect African Americans’ shared sense of group identity and high sense of group consciousness to endure as ethnic diversity among the population increases? In Black Mosaic, Candis Watts Smith addresses the effects of this dynamic demographic change on Black identity and Black politics. Smith explores the numerous ways in which the expanding and rapidly changing demographics of Black communities in the United States call into question the very foundations of political identity that has united African Americans for generations. African Americans’ political attitudes and behaviors have evolved due to their historical experiences with American Politics and American racism. Will Black newcomers recognize the inconsistencies between the American creed and American reality in the same way as those who have been in the U.S. for several generations? If so, how might this recognition influence Black immigrants’ political attitudes and behaviors? Will race be a site of coalition between Black immigrants and African Americans? In addition to face-to-face interviews with African Americans and Black immigrants, Smith employs nationally representative survey data to examine these shifts in the attitudes of Black Americans. Filling a significant gap in the political science literature to date, Black Mosaic is a groundbreaking study about the state of race, identity, and politics in an ever-changing America.

Contents:

Front matter

Contents

Acknowledgments

Introduction

1. Black on black history

2. Diasporic consciousness: theorizing black pan-ethnic identity and intraracial politics

3. From group membership to group identification

4. Broadening black identity: evidence in national data

5. Politicizing identities: linking identity to politics

6. Perspectives on intraracial coalition and conflict

Conclusion. My president is black?

Appendix A. Presentation of survey items and variable measures

Appendix B. Interview respondent characteristics

Appendix C. Semi structured interview guide

Notes

Bibliography

Index

About the author

Notes:

Description based upon print version of record.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Description based on online resource; title from PDF title page (publisher's Web site, viewed 23. Jul 2020)

ISBN:

9781479863105

1479863106

9781479811113

1479811114

OCLC:

893439511