Skip to main content Accessibility help
×
Hostname: page-component-7c8c6479df-xxrs7 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-03-29T01:59:48.772Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

6 - Racial Oppression, Colonization, and Identity: Toward an Empowerment Model for People of African Heritage

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 August 2011

Alex L. Pieterse
Affiliation:
University of Albany, USA
Dennis Howitt
Affiliation:
Loughborough University, UK
Anthony V. Naidoo
Affiliation:
University of Stellenbosch, South Africa
Elias Mpofu
Affiliation:
University of Sydney
Get access

Summary

The most powerful tool in the hands of the oppressor is the mind of the oppressed.

— Steve Biko (1946–1977), speech given in Cape Town, 1971

OVERVIEW. The psychological experiences of people of African heritage have been shaped and influenced by the enduring legacy of European colonization and the Atlantic slave trade. As such, counselors who seek to promote health and healing for Africans and those impacted by the African Diaspora need to understand the psychological antecedents of oppression as experienced by individuals of African descent. Furthermore, counselors and healers can draw on models of psychological liberation in an attempt to promote a healthy racial identity and to establish models of community empowerment. This chapter reviews the literature addressing the psychological impact of racism and racial oppression and provides a case illustration of the principles of psychological liberation for people of African heritage.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

By the end of the chapter, the reader should be able to:

  1. Identify key historical events associated with psychological oppression.

  2. Summarize research findings describing the relationship between racism and psychological functioning.

  3. Outline key aspects of “mental colonization” and describe steps toward “decolonization of the mind.”

  4. Describe elements of a community intervention designed to promote liberation and empowerment.

INTRODUCTION

Within the United States, in June 2006, the total number of Black/African American inmates in state or federal institutions accounted for 40 percent of the entire prison population (U. S. Department of Justice, June 2007), even though they are just 16 percent of the total population.

Type
Chapter
Information
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2011

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Save book to Kindle

To save this book to your Kindle, first ensure coreplatform@cambridge.org is added to your Approved Personal Document E-mail List under your Personal Document Settings on the Manage Your Content and Devices page of your Amazon account. Then enter the ‘name’ part of your Kindle email address below. Find out more about saving to your Kindle.

Note you can select to save to either the @free.kindle.com or @kindle.com variations. ‘@free.kindle.com’ emails are free but can only be saved to your device when it is connected to wi-fi. ‘@kindle.com’ emails can be delivered even when you are not connected to wi-fi, but note that service fees apply.

Find out more about the Kindle Personal Document Service.

Available formats
×

Save book to Dropbox

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Dropbox.

Available formats
×

Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

Available formats
×