Synopses & Reviews
Survival of the Black Family critically examines the social policies that arose from the civil rights movement. Jewell proposes new steps to economic independence for black families that would place this responsibility within all sectors of society, arguing that social policies and their absence have affected the status of black family structures. She refutes the myths of significant black progress that emanated from the civil rights era, including the belief in equity for minorities in societal institutions. Attention is focused on the extent to which black families have been adversely affected by a process of assimilation, which was sociopsychological rather than economic. Jewell also discusses how neoconservatism in the 1980s has affected the status of black families. Finally, Jewell offers guidelines to the formulation of a social policy that could enhance the status of black families in the United States.
Review
Beginning with Reagan administration, the prevailing conservative forces have engineered almost complete elmination of the numerous social programs that flourished during the 60s and 70s. K. Sue Jewell's book provides a long-awaited, scientifically detached look at this important area, including an analysis of the reasons for the failure of social policy and specific recommendations for remediation of the underlying problems.Contemporary Psychology
About the Author
K. SUE JEWELL is a Sociologist and Assistant Professor at the Ohio State University.
Table of Contents
Preface
Introduction
Social Policy and Black Family Structure
Informal Social-Support Systems
The Era of Liberal Social Policy
Impact of Social and Economic Gains on Black Families
Expectations Versus Realization
The 1980s: A Period of Social Conservatism and Social Reawakening
The Future of Social Policy and the Black Family
Bibliography
Index