Premium
Sociocultural Influences on the Sociopolitical Development of African American Youth
Author(s) -
Anyiwo Nkemka,
Bañales Josefina,
Rowley Stephanie J.,
Watkins Daphne C.,
RichardsSchuster Katie
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
child development perspectives
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3
H-Index - 71
eISSN - 1750-8606
pISSN - 1750-8592
DOI - 10.1111/cdep.12276
Subject(s) - sociocultural evolution , socialization , action (physics) , identity (music) , social change , social inequality , psychology , inequality , youth studies , social identity theory , gender studies , social psychology , racism , sociology , social group , political science , anthropology , mathematical analysis , physics , mathematics , quantum mechanics , acoustics , law
Sociopolitical development (SPD) is the process by which individuals become aware of social inequality, recognize the status of their social identities, and engage in activism. For racially marginalized youth, race is an important aspect of their SPD. Yet few studies have considered the connections between racial factors and youth's SPD. In this article, we introduce an integrative model situating racial sociocultural processes (i.e., racial identity, racial socialization, and experiences of racial discrimination) within current SPD theory. In particular, we look at African American youth as a case study to discuss how sociocultural factors can contribute to youth's awareness of structures of social inequality (i.e., critical social analysis) and engagement in action against social inequality (i.e., sociopolitical action). We conclude with suggestions for research.