THE "MARGINALIZATION" OF BLACK YOUTH

{ADAPTATIONS TO THE JANE-FINCH STIGMA}

THE SOCIOLOGICAL PROCESS

MARGINALIZATION: REFERS TO THE STATUS OF A GROUP WHO DOES NOT HAVE FULL AND EQUAL ACCESS TO THE SOCIAL ECONOMIC, CULTURAL, AND POLITICAL INSTITUTIONS OF SOCIETY. ==========è

RACIALIZATION: REFERS TO THE ASSIGNING OF RACIAL CONNOTATIONS TO THE ACTIVITIES OF MINORITY PEOPLE =========è

STIGMATIZATION: REFERS TO A MARK OF DISGRACE{DEVIANCE} IMPOSED ON AN INDIVIDUAL BY OTHER INDIVIDUALS OR A SOCIAL GROUP. IN POPULAR USAGE IT OFTEN REFERS TO ANY NEGATIVE SANCTION OR DISAPPROVAL FOR NONCONFORMITY. AN UNDESIRABLE DIFFERENTNESS OF AN INDIVIDUAL THAT DISQUALIFIES HIM OR HER FROM FULL SOCIAL ACCEPTANCE. SOCIOLOGISTS ORIGINALLY USED THE TERM TO SHOW HOW HUMANS NOT ONLY SEEK TO CONTROL THE PHYSICAL WORLD BUT THE SOCIAL WORLD. =====è

CONSEQUENCES: THE CIRCULATION OF RACIALIZED KNOWLEDGE (RACIALIZED TROPES + RACIALIZED GEOGRAPHY) CAST BLACK YOUTH AS A SYMPTOM OF CRIMINALITY AND DANGER THEREFORE WARRANTING THE SURVEILLANCE AND SPATIAL IMMOBILIZATION OF BLACK BODIES.

SOCIAL CONDITIONS

AT THE DAWN OF THE NEW MILLENNIUM, UNEMPLOYMENT RATE OF APPROXIMATELY 25% (TO 50% IN SOME ACCOUNTS), FAR ABOVE THE NATIONAL AVERAGE WHICH IS NOW ABOUT 6.9% IN 2001. BLACK YOUTH, THEREFORE, COMPRISE AN "UNDERCLASS" IN SOCIETY THAT HAS A RACIAL STIGMA {THE “JANE-FINCH” STIGMA} ATTACHED == BLACK YOUTH ARE THEREFORE PROBLEMATIZED AS INDOLENT, DERELICT, AND VIOLENCE-PRONE.

1) EMBRACE STIGMA -- HE CAN EMBRACE THE RACIAL STIGMA PROJECTED ON HIM BY "INTERNALIZING" AN IMAGE OF HIMSELF AS INFERIOR, TRUANT AND UNEMPLOYABLE;

{EX: MOIRA – THE EFFECTS OF LABELLING – THE “NYMPHOMANIAC.” ====> INTERNALIZE STEREOTYPICAL DELUSIONS/ CRASS/INCOMPLETE/NON-REPRESENTATIVE VERSIONS OF THEMSELVES =====> MANIFEST AN “INFERIORITY COMPLEX” – THEREFORE LIVE OUT INCOMPLETE/ PARTIAL/ FRAGMENTED AND “BROKEN” LIVES}

2) REJECT STIGMA -- HE CAN REJECT THE STIGMA, AND TREAT HIS UNDERCLASS STATUS AS A“BADGE OF HONOUR," BY GLORIFYING THE PARIAH UNDER-WORLDS OF PIMPS, PLAYERS, DRUG DEALERS AND SUCH – TOTALLY ALLYING HIMSELF WITH AN ASSORTED CONFEDERACY OF GANGSTERS AND BAD-BOYS;

[EX: QUESTION: WHAT KINDS OF EXTERNAL ALLURESARE THERE IN AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE A YOUTH CAN MAKE $1000 A WEEK DEALING DRUGS AND $250 A WEEK FLIPPING BURGERS? WHO BECOMES THE ROLE MODELS?]

SOCIOLOGICAL EXPLANATIONS EXAMINE SOCIAL FORCES AND STRUCTURE, INCLUDING THE IDEA THAT SOCIETY DOES NOT PROVIDE ENOUGH MEANS FOR EVERYONE TO ACHIEVE THE LOFTY GOALS IT INSTILLS [[EX: SOCIAL DEPRAVATION THEORY]], THUS OPENING THE DOOR TO DEVIANCE =====> SOCIAL-PROCESS THEORIES [[EX: DIFFERENTIAL ASSOCIATION]] VIEW DEVIANCE AND CRIMINALITY AS LEARNED IN GROUP INTERACTIONS WITH OTHERS. EITHER WAY, SOCIAL FACTORS "CAUSE" DEVIANCE.

[EX: {SOME} RAP ===> MOST IDENTIFIABLE FORMS ARE BASED ON “PUGILISTIC EROTICISM” ======> RAPPERS MAKE A STRATEGIC CHOICE TO GLORIFY THE STEREOTYPICAL CHARACTERIZATIONS OF BLACKNESS (MISOGYNY, VIOLENCE, PUGULISTIC EROTICISM, SEXIST/PORNOGRAPHIC IMAGERY AND REPRESENTATION) OFFER UP THE NEW COLONIALISM IN THE FORM OF OBJECTIFYING BLACK FEMALE BODIES AND OVERTLY AFFIRM/EMBRACE THE COLOUR-CASTE SYSTEM [MEDIA-GENERATED CINEMATIC METAPHORS],

3) COMPENSATORY FACADE -- HE CAN DEVELOP A COMPENSATORY FACADE (OR "OVERCOMPENSATE", IF YOU WILL), THEREFORE, SEEKING TO SINGULARLY OVER-ACHIEVE IN SCHOOL OR THE WORKPLACE, IN ORDER TO NEGATE THE STIGMA, BY BECOMING A BOOKISH GEEK, A WORKAHOLIC NERD, OR A SELF- CHALLENGED "OREO".

{EX: THE OVER-ACHIEVER IS ALWAYS TRYING TO COMPENSATE AND DISPELL STEREOTYPES – THIS CAN STILL MANIFEST ITSELF IN “BEING RULED BY STEREOTYPES” IN THE REVERSE – AND LEAD TO AN ALIENATED LIFE}

4) TRANSCEND STIGMA -- HE CAN TRANSCEND THE STIGMA, BY STRUGGLING TO DEVELOP AND ACTUALIZE HIS FULL POTENTIAL – HONING HIS UNIQUENESS AND TAPING INTO A LIFE RICH WITH POSSIBILITIES, THEREFORE, BECOMING LIKE MORPHEUS AND NEO IN THE MOVIE "THE MATRIX," IN SEARCH OF THE AUTHENTIC LIFE.

{EX: “TIGER WOODS” – A LIFE OF “TRANSCENDENCE” – THOSE WHO TRANSCEND BARRIERS [STRATIFIED REALITY] DO THE EXTRAORDINARY BY TURNING ORDINARY PRACTICES INTO OCCASIONS FOR INTERVENTION AND SOCIAL CHANGE.

[[NOTE:OF COURSE, WHILE THE LATTER # 4 “TRANSCENDING THE JANE-FINCH STIGMA” – (BECOMING AN AUTHENTIC BEING, OR BECOMING "THE ONE" TO QUOTE THE MOVIE) IS MUCH MORE PREFERABLE TO THE OTHER THREE (WHICH ARE REALLY ONLY VARIOUS DISTORTIONS OF BEING), IT IS ALSO THE MOST DIFFICULT TO ACHIEVE. INDEED, IT USUALLY ONLY HAPPENS IN THE MOVIES....]]

SYNOPSIS: THIS IS TO SAY, IN ORDER TO BE IN A POSITION TO ACTUALIZE THEMSELVES, AND CULTIVATE THEIR POTENTIAL FOR EXTRAORDINARY ACHIEVEMENTS, BLACK YOUTH NEED THIS SOCIETY TO ACTUALLY CARE ABOUT THEIR INTERESTS AND WELL-BEING. AN ACCOMPLISHED LIFE CANNOT HAPPEN IN A SOCIAL VACUUM. BLACK YOUTH NEED SOCIETY TO EMBRACE THEM AND NURTURE THEIR UNIQUE ENDOWMENTS – NOT ONLY INCORPORATING THEM INTO THE MAINSTREAM OF SOCIAL LIFE, BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, INCORPORATING THEM IN A WAY THAT EMBRACES THEIR DIFFERENCE RATHER THAN TRIES TO NEGATE OR REPRESS IT. UNTIL BLACK YOUTH ACTUALLY BECOME “AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE FABRIC AND AGENDA OF SOCIETY,” AND THE COMFORTABLE COMPLACENCY OF RACIAL STRATIFICATION IS REPUDIATED, THE CYCLE OF DESPAIR AND VIOLENCE WILL CONTINUE.

{THIS MEANS ... WE HAVE TO BEGIN TO SEEK TO INCREASE “THE ENVIRONMENT OF OPTIONS” AND POSSIBLITIES; ENVIRONMENT THAT IS CONDUCIVE TO MOTIVATIONAL CHANGE ==è “THE POSSIBLITY STRUCTURE/ OR STURUCTURE OF POSSIBLITIES” IN ALL OF SOCIETY’S SYSTEMS AND INSTITUTIONS.}

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[[[[[QUESTION: HOW DO BLACK YOUTH GET PROBLEMATIZED IN OUR SOCIETY? =======> CONTEMPORARY MAINSTREAM MEDIA CONTROLS THE DISCOURSE ON CRIME IN OUR SOCIETY {AS A SURROGATE OR REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DOMINANT CULTURE} =====> THROUGH THE PROPAGATION OF DISCOURSES ON "GOOD CITIZENSHIP" =====> COMMENDATION FOR MINORITY SELF- AND COMMUNITY-RESPONSIBILITY-MOTIFS [OR "DO THE RIGHT THING" PIECES]; AND CIVIC-DUTY-CONFLICTS-AND-MOTIFS [OR "EXPOSE OUR FLAWS" PIECES THAT CALL FOR COMMUNITY ACTION]} =======>

{SOME MIGHT CALL THIS – "THE BILL COSBY SYNDROME" – PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY/FAMILY VALUES/COMMUNITY INITIATIVES/ RALLYING THE TROOPS BECOMES "HEADLINE NEWS" =====> ALL IN ALL, WHAT I CALL DISCOURSES ON "GOOD CITIZENSHIP"]]]]

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IN REGARD TO YOUTH JUSTICE IN OUR SOCIETY THEN, TO BEGIN TO DEAL WITH THE PROBLEM SOCIOLOGIALLY IS TO BEGIN TO SEE THE NEED FOR THE BALANCE BETWEEN “AGENCY AND STRUCTURE” {INDIVIDUAL/PRIVATE RESPONSIBILITY AND SOCIAL/STRUCTURAL POSSIBILITIES} OR, TO COIN A PHRASE – IT NOW TAKES A VILLAGE TO SAVE A CHILD.

BUT ====> HOW CAN THE VILLAGE GET MOBILIZED? WHAT CAN THE VILLAGE DO TO BEST SAVE OUR CHILDREN?

{THIS MEANS} TO ACTUALLY "GET TOUGH ON YOUTH CRIME" (TO USE THE HARDLINE VERNACULAR), SOCIETY HAS TO MOBILIZE ALL OF ITS POTENTIAL RESOURCES - TRADITIONAL AND NON-TRADITIONAL - IN A COOPERATIVE AND INTEGRATED SEARCH THAT LOOKS BEYOND THE JUSTICE SYSTEM FOR SOLUTIONS.