This dissertation examines how manhood is conceptualized by Black National Football League (NFL) prospects and explores how their characterizations of manhood are associated with their desire to become NFL players. This mixed-method study uses data collected by interviewing and surveying fifteen Black NFL draft prospects who were or would be eligible for the NFL draft between 2005-2016. The data are supplemented with existing literature and analyzed using the "Utamaduni Bwana" table of African cultural manhood in order to (1) culturally locate participants' conceptions of manhood, (2) identify the African elements within their conceptions of manhood, and (3) highlight the agency within their responses. In essence, this dissertation explores the significance of the NFL draft and the influence of colonization on Black NFL prospects' conceptions of manhood. This study found that Black NFL prospects' desire to reach the NFL is heavily associated with their attempt to reach manhood. The characteristics most commonly found in the participants' conceptions of manhood are strength, independence, and financial success; and their perceptions of NFL players contain hyper-expressions of these same characteristics. In addition, Black NFL prospects' conceptualization of manhood contain both African cultural elements and, as a result of colonization, hegemonic Western cultural elements. This dissertation makes an important contribution to sporting and gender literature by using an Afrocentric methodology to push beyond the normative investigation of Black-male athletes' identity and sporting goals. This study offers new and culturally appropriate questions regarding race, gender, and sports. / African American Studies
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:TEMPLE/oai:scholarshare.temple.edu:20.500.12613/2637 |
| Date | January 2015 |
| Creators | Brown, Andrew D. |
| Contributors | Asante, Molefi Kete, 1942-, Thompson, Heather Ann, 1963-, Davis, James Earl, 1960-, Conyers, James L. |
| Publisher | Temple University. Libraries |
| Source Sets | Temple University |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis/Dissertation, Text |
| Format | 232 pages |
| Rights | IN COPYRIGHT- This Rights Statement can be used for an Item that is in copyright. Using this statement implies that the organization making this Item available has determined that the Item is in copyright and either is the rights-holder, has obtained permission from the rights-holder(s) to make their Work(s) available, or makes the Item available under an exception or limitation to copyright (including Fair Use) that entitles it to make the Item available., http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/ |
| Relation | http://dx.doi.org/10.34944/dspace/2619, Theses and Dissertations |
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