African American Communication

Ronald L. Jackson II, Sidney A. Ribeau

"This new edition of the landmark African American Communication: Exploring Identity and Culture by Jackson, Johnson, Hecht, and Ribeau maintains its position in the field as the classic work on this subject. Eagerly awaited this edition sets the standards for all future works in this field." — Molefi Kete Asante, Author of The Afrocentric Manifesto and Founding Editor, Journal of Black Studies"This truly remarkable volume weaves a cogent, multidisciplinary narrative that advances our understanding of the complexities and cultural contexts that characterize both the coherence and variations of communication behaviors of African American people. The authors’ detailed attention to theory and research from communication and several other social science disciplines provides a firm foundation for rejecting uni-dimensional, simplistic and often stereotypical expositions on the nature of African American communication." — Orlando Taylor, Past President, National Communication Association"In a world where civil discourse and cross-cultural awareness is at a premium, this third edition of African American Communication comes at just the right time. African American Communication is a sophisticated, comprehensive scholarly primer on African American communication and identity written from within the culture for any reader seeking deeply nuanced historical and contemporary understandings of Blackness." — Robin R. Means Coleman, Texas A&M University, Vice President & Associate Provost for Diversity/Professor of Communication"In its third edition, the authors offer insightful, punctilious, and unapologetic perspectives on a myriad of variables that define the modern day lived experiences of African Americans, including cultural identity, intra/interracial relationships, identity negotiation, and digital media activism. This must-read book does not disappoint in providing a rich, informed, and timely cultural analysis of African American communication." — Eletra Gilchrist-Petty, Author of Contexts of the Dark Side of Communication"African American Communication remains the most comprehensive resource focusing on the cultural and structural factors that constitute human interaction. It is essential reading for anyone interested in how communication functions to express, represent and transform Black identities." — Mark C. Hopson, author of Notes from the Talking Drum: Exploring Black Communication and Critical Memory in Intercultural Communication"This work is a must-read for those interested in understanding African American communication as a process, a perspective, and a construct that influences our everyday interactions in the world. It easily captures the uniqueness of a culture, while keenly addressing its complexity, nuance, and need for continuous exploration." — Kimberly R. Moffitt, Associate Professor and Chair, Language, Literacy & Culture Ph.D. Program, University of Maryland Baltimore County

• 1. Introduction 2. African American Identity 3. African American Communication Competence and Language/Communication Styles 4. African American Relationships and Cultural Identity Negotiation 5. African American Communication and Contemporary Social Movements 6. Conclusions