Description
African-American Politics offers the most-up-to date and comprehensive introduction to the successes, failures, and persistent challenges of African-American political participation in the United States. Almost four decades after Martin Luther King's "Give Us the Ballot" speech and the tumultuous and often controversial efforts of the Black Panther Party, African-American politics remains relatively symbolic and limited. In this innovative text, Kendra King examines US institutional structures, processes, policies, and political leaders to shed new light on the problems and promises of African-American politics in the new millennium. Drawing on a range of sources from U.S. Census data and Gallup Polls to landmark court opinions and speeches, the book explores African-American political behavior, and the so-called "irreconcilable differences" between the US political system and one of its most historically subjugated constituency groups. Major themes covered include: symbolic versus substantive politics the impact of race on socio-economic status the post -Civil Rights leadership vacuum the rise of Black Conservatism and "New Black Politics" the political significance of Black Mega-Churches the emergence of "Hip Hop" as an alternative political voice The book concludes by looking at the future of African-American politics, and suggests ways to increase Black political participation and incorporation in the US. It will be essential reading for students of African American politics, minority politics and ethnic studies, and may be used as a companion text in American government classes.
Binding: Paperback
Physical Info: 288 pages
Publish Date: January 1, 2010