The purpose of this thesis project is to affix the attention of Lovecraftian scholarship on the oft ignored racism that pervades many of H.P. Lovecraft’s better known short stories. Existing scholarship revolves around an inordinate focus on the cosmic aesthetic of Lovecraftian horror and Lovecraft’s professed nihilism. The consequence of such criticism is that similar critical readings are produced, contributing to a rhetorical atrophy that prohibits the possible depth of scholarly inquiry. Indeed this limitation is made apparent by the small pool of scholars that produce the majority of Lovecraft scholarship. I seek to broaden the current discourse, and thus invite additional scholarly voices, by introducing a critical lens that allows readers to rethink Lovecraftian horror from a new perspective. Whereas most Lovecraftian scholarship relies on a biographical lens with which to interpret Lovecraft’s works, I will be combining biographical insight with historical context to create a new framework from which readers can address the racism found in Lovecraft’s works in relations to external influences and paradigms. My methodology consists of historicizing Lovecraft and his works within the White racist power structure that defined not only the interaction of Whites and non-Whites, but the collective mindset of contemporaneous White American culture. Specifically, I will introduce three of Lovecraft’s stories as part of a broader social discourse on race and ontology. The stories in question are “The Call of Cthulhu”, “Facts Concerning the Late Arthur Jermyn” and “Hebert West: Re-Animator”.

This paper explores the general attitudes of African Americans towards the programming disseminated on the BET network past and present (pre-Viacom/post-Viacom). The mass media company Viacom acquired BET from African American founder Robert L. Johnson in 1980. BET under Johnson took pride in its ability to provide sophisticated, value-driven, and positive programming for African Americans. This study looks to see if the cultural values at BET have changed via its programming since Viacom’s purchase. This study utilized social media to survey 100 participants who were born prior to 1984 who identify as African American or mixed African American and are familiar with BET. This paper uses social identity theory to examine the attitudes that the African American participants hold towards BET as they use their value-set to negotiate their social identity via their attitudes with the content shown on BET. This research reveals the importance of viewing cultures as heterogeneous as well as the importance of cultural groups such as African Americans controlling the dissemination of their own cultural messages and images. A paired T-test analysis revealed statistically a significant difference of participant attitudes of BET in the past (1980-1999) and the present (2000-2015). The participants therefore rated BET higher on the average in the past when BET was black owned (pre-Viacom), as opposed to the present now that BET is white owned (post-Viacom).

The suicide rate among African-American youths has significantly increased in recent years. Studies have indicated that racism, sexism, and homophobia put African-American adolescent lesbians (AAALs) at high risk for suicide. Earlier studies recognized the importance of adult support for adults, but the relationship between the AAAL suicide rate and the level of adult support has never been formally studied. Based on social support theory, this survey study examined the relationship between adult social support and attitudes toward homosexuality (as the independent variables) and suicidality and hopelessness (as the dependent variables) in a convenience sample of 200 self-identified 13-to-19-year-old AAALs. Data were collected using the Duke Social Support and Stress Scale (DUSOCS), the Homosexuality Attitude Scale (HAS), the Beck Scale for Suicide Ideation (BSS), and the Beck Hopelessness Scale (BHS). Descriptive statistics and ANOVA correlation and regression analyses were conducted using SPSS 20. The results showed a statistically significant negative relationship between social support and attitude toward homosexuality and the dependent variable, suicidal ideation; a significant negative relationship between social support and hopelessness; and a significant, but weak, positive relationship between social support and attitude toward homosexuality. Lack of family and social support is associated with social isolation and increased risk of suicide among homosexual youths. Finding ways to increase family and social support for AAALs has the potential to promote positive social change by reducing suicidal ideation in this at-risk group.

Abstract not available / acase@tulane.edu

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