Stigmas and Hegemony of African-Americans

Essay: Domestic (U.S.) Issue
By: Katherine Watson
Stigmas and Hegemony of African-Americans


I wouldn’t want to say that any one theory described the African-American culture better than another but hegemony in the U.S. definitely affects the African-American culture in many ways. In addition to hegemony, stigma has also impacted African-Americans as well. Colonization is also a part of the African-American history therefore, it also has made a difference in how the culture has interacted with the dominant culture, but I will be focusing on hegemony and stigma.

The concept of hegemony refers to the power of a group or individual over the majority of the population. Politically, hegemony can be very detrimental and the “game” and strategy of that game can influence millions of people’s lives. Politicians, an elite group of individuals, are responsible for making decisions with the best interest of the general population in mind, but a lot of the time they put their own personal interest above that of the people’s for many reasons; to gain power, make connections and increase wealth. Regarding the African-American population, on a political scale, most African-Americans vote liberally because it is assumed that Republican candidates won’t “take care” of minorities as well as Democratic government officials. This is an unfortunate phenomenon because the minorities may not realize that the candidates support many undesirable and detrimental causes that for example, could impede our freedom of choice, but they will usually choose the person who gives more money to minority groups. The system is flawed in that aspect and candidates strategize to the common fact that people will choose candidates who promise to help their financial status. Probably, one of the main reasons we have a black president now is because of that fact.

I would definitely describe African-American’s as both a subcultural and a counter-cultural group. Sub-culturally, African-Americans often live in clusters of like individuals and intricate neighborhoods have developed due to many factors, racism and discrimination being two of them. On the other hand, African-Americans have also broken off on their own to create a completely new culture despite being a minority. They have their own slang, way of dress, music, lifestyles, and cuisine. Something that should be analyzed more in-depth is the fact that a significant number of incarcerated individuals are African-American. One reason for this could be the need of the culture to break free of stereotypes that weigh them down; ironically, the high number of jailed African-Americans further hurts the cause and creates stereotypes that become harder to get rid of. The term “shooting yourself in the foot” comes to mind and because of the poor history between black and white individuals the hate and intolerance continues to get passed on from generation to generation through cultural transmission.

Regarding material and non-material aspects of the African-American culture there are many examples of each that are pertinent to the sociological theory of stigma in particular. African-Americans, like all Americans, live in a materialistic culture. iPhones, sports cars, fame and fortune are all apart of the collective American dream. Stigma comes into play because of its connection to stereotypes. There are many stereotypes hindering the African-American population; criminology, education, gang association etc. Non-materialistic aspects include, religious preference, customs, beliefs, ideas, norms, values and social institutions (Parrillo, 2008). Influential people in black history such as Martin Luther King instilled many of the current ideas and beliefs African-Americans hold. Generally, historical figures tend to set precedents in culture that can resonate through time.

Culture lag affects us all when technology progresses too fast for non-materialistic aspects of culture. Assimilating to new technological advances can be a slow process because of the ties to our beliefs and ways of life before the advances. People don’t usually change overnight and therefore, culture lag can be a confusing and difficult time for any culture. For African-Americans, the most critical lag in my opinion would be the educational lag they suffer from. It’s a never ending battle that minorities fight; catching up to educational standards. In some places, the schools are very under par; the books and material are extremely outdated so the information being taught isn’t helpful in learning how to be a functional member of the current society.

Another aspect of culture that makes a difference in African-American culture is cultural diffusion. The adaptation of different cultures into our own routines is a very common phenomenon. In the book, Parrillo mentions a scientist who theorizes that at any given time we are borrowing 90% of our daily elements from other cultures (Parrillo, 2008, pg. 38). He uses examples such as where our clothing and bedding are made (India, China) and he points out the origins of some of our most traditional customs.

Overall, culture is in constant flux with the times. Each generation adds to it and passes it on. It can be difficult growing up in such a diverse melting pot like the United States but no culture is perfect and it is how we learn to adapt as we go, by maintaining an open mind and apathetic nature, which makes us able to rise above the hindrance of stigma and discrimination.

Reference:

Parrillo, V. (2008). Understanding Race and Ethnic Relations (3ed). Pearsons Education, Inc.