African-American Children at Church: A Sociocultural Perspective

by Wendy L. Haight

• ISBN13: 9780521003452
• ISBN10: 0521003458
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2001-12-10
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Summary

African-American Children at Church explores African-American socialization beliefs and practices, based on findings of a unique, four-year long study in a Baptist church in Salt Lake City, Utah. By combining the ethnographic approaches of anthropology with the detailed naturalistic observations of developmental psychology, Dr Haight provides a rich description of actual socialization practices along with an interpretation of what those patterns mean to the participants themselves. Based on extensive interviews with successful African-American adults involved with children, this book begins with the exploration of adults' beliefs about socialization issues focusing on the role of religion in the development of resilience. Drawing from naturalistic observations of adult-child interaction, the book then describes actual socialization contexts and practices that help to nurture competencies in African-American children. The text focuses on Sunday School and includes narrative practices and patterns of adult-child conflict and play.

Author Biography

Wendy L. Haight is Associate Professor of Social Work at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign

Table of Contents

List of Tables	ix
Acknowledgments	xi
PART ONE. OVERVIEW
Introduction	3	(16)
The African-American Church and the Socialization of Children's Resiliency	19	(13)
Research Strategy	32	(19)
PART TWO. PATTERNS OF SOCIALIZATION AND PARTICIPATION
African-Americans in Salt Lake City: A Historical and Social Overview	51	(8)
The Teachers	59	(10)
Adults' Perspectives on Spiritual Socialization	69	(17)
Narratives Related during Sunday School	86	(19)
Socialization and Participation through Storytelling	105	(24)
Adult---Child Verbal Conflicts	129	(15)
Other Contexts for Socialization and Participation	144	(21)
PART THREE. RELATIONSHIPS OF RESEARCH AND PRACTICE
The Computer Club: Implications of Research for Practice	165	(7)
Enhancing University Students' Understanding and Appreciation of Cultural Diversity: Implications of Practice for Research	172	(23)
PART FOUR. CONCLUSION
Some Final Points	195	(10)
References	205	(14)
Index	219