Edited and with an introductory chapter by sociologist Elijah Anderson, the essays in Against the Wall describe how young black men have come to be identified publicly with crime and violence.
Against the Wall
Poor, Young, Black, and Male
Edited by Elijah Anderson. Foreword by Cornel West
2008 | 320 pages | Cloth $49.95 | Paper $28.95
Sociology | African-American Studies/African Studies | Public Policy
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Table of Contents
Foreword: Strong Men Keep A-Comin On
—Cornel West
I. FACING THE SITUATION OF YOUNG BLACK MEN IN INNER CITIES
1. Against the Wall: Poor, Young, Black, and Male
—Elijah Anderson
2. David's Story: From Promise to Despair
—Raymond Gunn
3. Young, Black, and Male: The Life History of an American Drug
Dealer Facing Death Row
—Waverly Duck
II. STRUCTURAL ANALYSES OF JOBLESSNESS AMONG BLACK YOUTH
4. The Economic Plight of Inner-City Black Males
—William Julius Wilson
5. Blacklisted: Hiring Discrimination in an Era of Mass Incarceration
—Devah Pager
6. The Effects of Immigration on the Economic Position of Young Black Males
—Gerald D. Jaynes
7. Immigration and Equal Opportunity
—Douglas S. Massey
III. ENGAGING URBAN YOUTH IN SOCIAL INSTITUTIONS
8. Youth Entrepreneurship Training in the Inner City: Overcoming Disadvantage, Engaging Youth in School
—Luke Anderson
9. Black Male Students and Reflections on Learning and Teaching
—L. Janelle Dance
10. Fighting like a Ballplayer: Basketball as a Strategy Against Social Disorganization
—Scott N. Brooks
11. "Tell us how it feels to be a problem": Hip Hop Longings and Poor Young Black Men
—Imani Perry
IV. SOCIAL POLICY MATTERS
12. Social Issues Lurking in the Over-Representation of Young African American Men in the Expanding DNA Databases
—Troy Duster
13. "You can take me outta the 'hood, but you can't take the 'hood outta me": Youth Incarceration and Reentry
—Jamie J. Fader
14. Suicide Patterns Among Black Males
—Sean Joe
15. Why Are Handguns So Accessible on Urban Streets?
—David Kairys
Notes
List of Contributors
Index
Acknowledgments