The dissertation explores new understandings about the uses of emotional work in the social struggles of racialized people. This project is a case study that analyzes how a singing group of ageing black women organized to improve the mental wellness of women in a low-income, peripheral neighborhood of the city of Belo Horizonte. This grassroots effort was a response to the women’s use of anti-anxiety medication, specifically Valium, and an attempt to attend to the women’s ongoing issues not addressed through the use of pharmaceuticals. The dissertation examines these women’s self-making as a critical window into how the embodied experiences of the interlocking forces of race, class, gender, age and place of residence are lived in the demanding material and psychological conditions of these women’s lives and the nature of the group’s healing work in their life narratives. Through considering these women’s self-making in discourses of madness, geographic landscapes of memory, musicality and performance, the dissertation investigates how the psycho-emotional transformations of these women illuminate the types of therapeutic work beneficial to anti-racist, sexist and age diversified modes of being and collective mobilization in the current social context of Brazil’s re-democratization. It also considers the group’s re-conceptualization of blackness and mental wellness as exemplary of and contributing to the personal and social work of black women’s struggle and praxis. The research methodology includes participant observation, interviews (structured and un-structured), oral histories, documentary photography and archival research conducted during an extended period (sixteen months) of fieldwork in Brazil. / text

<p> This mixed-methods study analyzed the effectiveness of the practices and attitudes of selected African American teachers who use culturally relevant and responsive Afrocentric pedagogies as the instructional foundation for improved academic outcomes with their African American students. The theory of Afrocentricity was used as the philosophical framework to study their pedagogy. Afrocentricity is a mode of thought and practice in which in African people are placed at the center of their own history and culture; engages them as subjects rather than objects; and approaches them with respect for their interests, values, and perspectives (Asante 1980, 2003). Concepts employed from this theoretical framework provided a lens for the triangulation of qualitative and quantitative data collected and analyzed. The setting for this study was a private Afrocentric prekindergarten through 8th-grade school. The participants in this study were 3 African American teachers. Data collected and analyzed supported using culturally relevant and responsive pedagogy to produce improved academic outcomes for students of color (Boykin, 1984, 1994; Hale-Benson, 1986; King, 1991; Ladson-Billings, 1994; Shujaa, 1995; Villegas, 1991).</p><p> Findings suggested that in selected academic settings improved academic performance occurred for African American students when teachers used culture relevant and responsive pedagogy. The following themes were embedded in the pedagogy: self-determination, academic empowerment, cultural empowerment, and family/community empowerment. The findings implied a need for teachers and teacher-training institutions to re-examine, recommit, and re-institute culturally relevant and responsive pedagogy that respects and addresses the culture, education, and social improvement for positive academic outcomes for all children.</p><p> <i>Keywords:</i> Afrocentricity, Afrocentric Pedagogy, achievement gap, culturally responsive pedagogy.</p>

<p> This phenomenological research study explored the contributing factors experienced by Black males that epitomized their academic success in a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) area of study. During this investigative project, eleven Black male students were interviewed to determine how they were able to successfully navigate and complete a STEM degree. The data was collected through a qualitative inquiry, which involved interviewing students and collecting the data and organizing their perspectives into common themes. The principal findings in this study suggest that Black males can excel when primary influential people establish high expectations and believe and encourage Black males to succeed by providing the essential educational support models requisite to warrant success; the Black male maintains and affirms a self-assured self-worth in himself; the Black male is exposed to these fields and professions early on in their educational quest to enable them to witness first hand powerful and productive opportunities and pathways to academic success; exposure to other Black successful male role models who can mentor and show positive proof that with effort, these fields can become a reality; increase in academic motivation and recommendations from educators and counselors who direct and guide students into and away from these rigorous career fields. An analysis of the students' individual stories gave a revealing look into the pathways of their consciousness, emotional growth, and perspectives about being a successful STEM major. This kind of insight can be a constructive diagnostic tool for students, educators, counselors, and administrators who want to motivate and influence future students to major in STEM fields of study.</p>

<p> While there exists extensive research on the historical development of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) in the United States, there is limited research focused on the current development of HBCUs in terms of institutional effectiveness and strategic planning. This gap in the research is particularly relevant in the midst of shifts in state funding that have occurred over the past decade. This research study is designed to move further towards filling this research gap by determinations through the examination of: (1) the interplay of fiscal issues and institutional effectiveness in relation to the historic mission, strategic efforts, and state mandates within the context of HBCUs; (2) the perceived institutional effectiveness of HBCUs by key internal and external stakeholders; and (3) the alignment of HBCU mission statements with mandated metrics of institutional effectiveness. Using a qualitative research design, an exploratory multisite case study was employed across two institutions. Nine key HBCU stakeholders such as the Presidents and the Vice Presidents of Academic Affairs, Student Affairs, Financial Affairs, and Alumni Affairs were interviewed to gain their perspectives on institutional effectiveness in relationship to shifting funding, heightened accountability, planned strategies to address these issues, and how these issues directly impact institutional effectiveness at HBCUs. Interviewee perspectives of shifts in funding were examined using a researcher-developed conceptual framework. In addition to conducting interviews, the researcher engaged in document review of relevant university documents, as well as a review of funding patterns of state allocations retrieved from the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS). Data from the three sources were triangulated and a two-layered coding strategy was used for further analysis. Findings from this data analysis were then used to address the five research questions presented in this study. The findings revealed that fluctuating shifts in state allocated funding has created a complex environment for HBCUs. Key HBCU administrators held similar perspectives, that in the midst of such a complex environment, emergent institutional response strategies have been put into place to maintain HBCU institutional effectiveness within the context of the historic HBCU mission.</p>

Thesis (Ed.M.)--Boston University / RESEARCH: Black literature has been incorporated into the curriculum of many colleges and universities. This trend is parallelled in the secondary schools; more Black literature is being taught on thi s level than ever before. According to Dorothy Sterling, "at most, only 1% of the total output of books for young adults are devoted to the Negro out of 1200 issued from 1960- 1966." 1. If there are so few of this type of book available, it is highly doubtful that Black literature written for adult readers is being used in its place . Books about Blacks and written by Blacks exist; and yet, we have in the past neglected to use them in our curriculum. Judy Anne Headlee suggests that a revision of the English curriculum is necessary , that the presentation of biographies or autobiographies of Black men and women will inspire a respect that will counteract prejudice." 2. It is Nancy Larrick's opinion that the lack of Black literature and the avoidance of racial themes and controversial topics in the classroom is robbing the student of an experience that will only benefit him in the adult world. 3. Communication and understanding can be the products of a Black literature unit. [TRUNCATED] / PLEASE NOTE: Boston University Libraries did not receive an Authorization To Manage form for this thesis or dissertation. It is therefore not openly accessible, though it may be available by request. If you are the author or principal advisor of this work and would like to request open access for it, please contact us at open-help@bu.edu. Thank you. / 2031-01-01

The purpose of this study was to address the underrepresentation of Black students among baccalaureate degree recipients. Because the majority of Black students begin their postsecondary careers at the community college, successful transfer to the upper-division is imperative if they are to achieve the goal of baccalaureate degree attainment. This study sought to identify and compare the concerns that Black students, who began their postsecondary careers at the community college, perceived would affect their persistence to bachelor degree completion. / Students participating in the study attended rural, suburban, and urban community colleges and a regional university in northern Florida. Focus groups were conducted to determine students' perceived concerns. Content analysis procedures were used to analyze focus group transcripts. Concerns were categorized as either pre-entry, academic, social, institutional, or miscellaneous. Quotes enhanced the findings of the study by providing insight regarding perceptions of concerns about completing the bachelor's degree. / Of the fifty-one concerns identified about completing the bachelor's degree, only three were common to all participating groups. Those concerns dealt with student/faculty relationships, meeting the costs of college, and life after graduation. The College Level Academic Skills Test (CLAST) was perceived as a concern for three out of the four groups. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 54-07, Section: A, page: 2487. / Major Professor: Barbara Mann. / Thesis (Ed.D.)--The Florida State University, 1993.

A comparative study of the nature and extent of spouse abuse (as reflected by several measures) among black and white couples was conducted in order to compare the nature and extent of spousal violence between black and white couples across different social classes. The sample included 312 women, approximately equal in terms of racial and social class backgrounds, who were residing with their partners during this investigation. / The results showed significant differences between the proportion of black and white women who reported problems with physical and nonphysical abuse (ISA-P and ISA-NP) but there were no significant differences between the proportion of black and white women who reported husband to wife violence (HWV), short-ranged abuse (LSAS), long-ranged abuse (LLAS) and marital discord (IMS). A significantly larger proportion of lower class women than upper and middle class women reported spousal violence (as reflected by each measure), but the abused upper and middle class women reported more incidents of spousal violence. No significant differences were found in the proportion of spouse abuse and marital discord reported between the racial groups across social class levels. / The effects of race, social class and violence in the family of origin, over and above the effects of other variables, were examined for each measure of spouse abuse and marital satisfaction through Analysis of Covariance. After adjusting for the effects of the background variables, race had a significant effect on the ISA-P and ISA-NP scores, whereas social class did not have a significant effect on any of the measures after adjusting for race and the background variables. Violence in the family of origin had a significant effect on the IMS, HWV, ISA-P and ISA-NP scores after adjusting for the effects of the other variables in the analysis. The interaction between race, social class and violence in the family of origin had a significant effect on the HWV scores, after adjusting for the effects of the other variables in the analyses. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 45-07, Section: A, page: 2280. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1984.

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of AAME, a marital enrichment program for African American couples, on martial satisfaction. The major thesis was that racism, sexism, and incongruent gender role attitudes were the most salient factors in marital dissatisfaction among African American married couples. / The research design combined both single case and traditional group methodologies. Both quantitative and qualitative data were collected and analyzed. The dependent variables were marital satisfaction and gender role attitudes. The independent variable was a cognitive-behavioral, psycho-educational, seven week course, culminating with a recommitment ceremony. The sample included eight middle class couples, married from 1-20 years. Each treatment condition included four couples. / Results indicated no statistically significant differences between groups. Qualitative interview data suggested congruence in gender role attitudes was an important factor in marital satisfaction. Furthermore, knowledge of the effects of racism and sexism on African American marriages seemed important in decreasing resentment and unresolved conflict between spouses. Single case data indicated symptoms of psychological distress decreased among experimental group subjects. / Future practice research should replicate the study with larger samples, and include greater heterogeneity of subjects' demographic characteristics. Future social policy and practice efforts should focus on marriage enrichment as a preventive health technology. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 53-08, Section: A, page: 2983. / Major Professor: Dianne H. Montgomery. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1992.

This exploratory study presents new information as to how macro policy/procedural processes within the Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) program influence the micro interactive patterns of AFDC financial workers ("helpers") and dispossessed Black urban AFDC recipients. Ethnographic interviews were completed with 24 dispossessed African American women on AFDC, and seven of their AFDC financial worker "helpers" in an AFDC office located in downtown Minneapolis. In addition, participant-observation methods were utilized to observe interactions between 25 dispossessed recipients and ten financial workers. / Communication theory and a rule-governed application of systems theory were used to foundationally discover the perspectives and patterns of communication between AFDC recipients and their AFDC helpers. A rule-governed perspective is typically utilized to apply an organismic view of the interactive patterns between actors within a system, and focus on how the options of the actors are often constrained by their patterned communications. / The study focused on the patterned process, or explicit and implicit relationship rules, that governed the interactions between dispossessed AFDC recipients and their financial workers. Interactional rules were scrutinized for ways in which they increased or constrained the options of recipients and helpers. Larger constraints within the AFDC system that impinged on these interactional rules were also considered. / The study revealed two explicit/implicit rule pairings: (1) binds and (2) a complementary dominant-submissive role pattern. Binds were identified as two or more simultaneous, incompatible demands being made on helpers or recipients. Dominant-submissive role patterns were identified as reciprocal patterns of "dominant" behaviors in helpers that induced, or were complemented by, "submissive" behaviors in recipients. / In addition, a serendipitous finding was discovered. Twelve of the 24 recipients examined reported feeling "trapped" by the AFDC process, while 12 recipients reported "not feeling trapped." This initial study paves the way for future research to test the possibility of an association between the emerging, antecedent explicit/implicit rules pairings and the consequent emotional state of recipients who reported feeling either "trapped" or "not trapped." / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 54-10, Section: A, page: 3875. / Major Professor: Shimon Gottschalk. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1993.

Florence B. Price, a black composer, was born in Little Rock, Arkansas in 1887 and died in Chicago, Illinois in 1953. She was among the first black American composers to achieve international recognition. A dedicated professional, Price distinguished herself throughout her lifetime, first during her student days in Boston at the New England Conservatory, next as an educator in Southern universities, and finally as a Chicago-based composer and performer. Of Price's concert works for piano, which include a prize-winning solo sonata, several character pieces, two concerti, and a quintet, few were published during her lifetime, and only one is currently in print. / This treatise is intended to acknowledge the contributions of Florence Price to American piano repertoire. Careful consideration is given to significant cultural and political forces which shaped American history and consequently shaped the professional lives of American composers in the early twentieth century. Central to the stylistic discussion is the analysis of three of Price's major solo piano works: Fantasie Negre, Sonata in E Minor, and Dances in the Canebrakes. / Florence Price was an American nationalist. Like her contemporaries William Grant Still, George Gershwin, and Aaron Copland, she successfully incorporated elements of Negro folk music into Western art music. The fact that most of Price's concert works are presently still in manuscript is largely due to the extremely limited publication opportunities for the work of a black woman composer in early twentieth century America. Upon analysis, it becomes clear that Price's piano music merits publication and performance. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 56-04, Section: A, page: 1175. / Major Professor: Leonard Mastrogiacomo. / Thesis (D.M.A.)--The Florida State University, 1995.