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Black Males and Marginality in America’s Urban Centers: Theorizing Blackness and Media Gatekeepers

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Marginality in the Urban Center

Part of the book series: Neighborhoods, Communities, and Urban Marginality ((NCUM))

Abstract

This chapter examines Black males and the critical question of whether America really cares about the numerous problems facing them. Drawing on the existing literature on Black males, social construction of “Blackness,” and three theories (Critical Race Theory, White Racial Frame, and Stereotype Threat), it is argued the mainstream media not only serve as gatekeeper in the negative construction of Blackness but may also help explain why the challenges facing Black males appear not to be attracting urgent attention. Integrating the three theories provides utility to better understand media gatekeeping and Blackness. The chapter also advances the argument the challenges facing Black males are more likely to attract national attention when a change occurs in media gatekeeping and the construction of Blackness.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Kent State University, Kent, OH, USA

    Felix Kumah-Abiwu

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  1. Felix Kumah-Abiwu
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Correspondence to Felix Kumah-Abiwu .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, St. Mary’s University, Twickenham, UK

    Peary Brug

  2. University of Redlands, Los Angeles, CA, USA

    Zachary S. Ritter

  3. The CHOICES Project, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA

    Kenneth R. Roth

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Kumah-Abiwu, F. (2019). Black Males and Marginality in America’s Urban Centers: Theorizing Blackness and Media Gatekeepers. In: Brug, P., Ritter, Z., Roth, K. (eds) Marginality in the Urban Center. Neighborhoods, Communities, and Urban Marginality. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-96466-9_6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-96466-9_6

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  • Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-96465-2

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-96466-9

  • eBook Packages: Social SciencesSocial Sciences (R0)

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