Researching Black Communities

Experts from a range of disciplines offer practical advice for conducting social science research in racial and ethnic minority populations. Readers will learn how to choose appropriate methods—longitudinal studies, national surveys, quantitative analysis, personal interviews, and other qualitative approaches—and how best to employ them for research on specific demographic groups. The volume opens with a brief introduction to the difficulty of defining a population and designing a research program and then moves to illustrative examples drawn from the contributors’ own studies of Blacks in the United States, the Caribbean, and South Africa. Case studies cover research on the media, mental health, churches, work, marital relationships, education, and family roles.

"This volume is a much needed and valuable contribution to the literature on conducting research in Black communities. It fills a gap and provides great insights based on actual research experience, careful conceptualization, and documented evidence."
—Diane R. Brown, University of Medicine & Dentistry of New Jersey School of Public Health

Contributors: Jewell F. Brazelton; Nikeea Copeland Linder; Letha Chadiha; William Darity Jr.; Bambi Haggins; Darrick Hamilton; Michelle Harris; Julia F. Hastings; Andrea G. Hunter; Deborah J. Johnson; Heidi T. Kromrei; Amanda E. Lewis; Jennifer Mueller; Dolores G. Norton; Carla O'Connor; Terri L. Orbuch; Lonnie Snowden; Catherine Squires; Julie Sweetman; Myriam Torres; Joseph Veroff; Jacquelyn Vincson; Monique L. Ward; Melissa Joan Wilhelm; Colwick Wilson; Monica Wolford