Date of Award
6-2002
Degree Name
Master of Arts
Department
Communication
First Advisor
Dr. Mark P. Orbe
Second Advisor
Dr. Leigh Ford
Third Advisor
Dr. Ben Wilson
Access Setting
Masters Thesis-Open Access
Abstract
As non-dominant group members enter and attempt to succeed within the United States' organizational structures, there continues to be a need for scholarly examination concerning how their communication is impacted by culture and power. This thesis focuses specifically on how discourse is influenced by these factors. It is an exploration of the dialectical tensions that beset the communication of African American males whose interactive success or failure in academic and professional organizations is often associated with the historical differences of culture and power. A review of existing literature addresses the communication dilemmas and co-cultural strategies that "outsiders within" (Collins, 1986), and Black males in particular, use within U.S. organizations and academic institutions. This thesis addresses the general question "How does the Black man survive communicatively within the predominantly European-American U.S. organization?'' This thesis seeks to crystallize the struggles of persons seldom acknowledged in traditional research (Allen, Orbe, & Olivas, 1999). Primarily, this research attempts to look beyond cultural generalizations (Orbe, 2000) and offer a critical exploration of power, culture, and language themes.
Recommended Citation
Hopson, Mark C., "Playing the Game: Exploring Dialectical Tensions and Co-Cultural Communication Strategies of Black Males in Predominantly White Organizational Structures" (2002). Masters Theses. 3881.
https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/masters_theses/3881