Beyond Stereotypes

In an era of ever increasing anti-immigrant sentiment and in the face of the worst economic recession since the great depression, this book presents a timely, compassionate and often moving glimpse into the lives of second generation children of immigrants in urban schools.

In the decades after the Civil War, sports slowly gained a prominent position within American culture. This development provided Jews with opportunities to participate in one of the few American cultures not closed off to them. Jewish athleticism challenged anti-Semitic depictions of Jews supposed physical inferiority while helping to construct a modern American Jewish identity. An Americanization narrative emerged that connected Jewish athleticism with full acceptance and integration into American society. This acceptance was not without struggle, but Jews succeeded and participated in the American sporting culture as athletes, coaches, owners, and fans. The diversity of topics in this volume reflect that the field of the history of American Jews and sports is growing and has moved beyond the need to overcome the idea that Jews are simply People of the Book. The contributions to this volume paint a broad picture of Jewish participation in sports, with essays written by respected historians who have examined specific sports, individuals, leagues, cities, and the impact of sport on Judaism. Despite the continued belief that Jewish religious or cultural identity remains somehow distinct from the American idea of the athlete, the volume demonstrates that American Jews have had a tremendous contribution to American sports and conversely, that sports have helped construct American Jewish culture and identity.

This book investigates parental engagement in the transition to school in China and Australia, which were taken as representatives of Eastern and Western cultures, respectively. A positive transition to school is important for children’s learning and wellbeing, and parents play a critical role in it. The author, therefore, compares Chinese and Australian parents’ perceptions of and engagement in the transition to school and the factors influencing it. By modifying the parental engagement scale and re-constructing the bioecological model of parental engagement in transition to school in the contexts of China and Australia, the book offers both instrumental and theoretical contributions in the field. The author further argues that parents are facing challenges and tensions brought on by both global trends and local contexts, which counters people’s stereotypes of Chinese and Australian parents. The book will be of interest to scholars and students studying parental engagement, transition to school and international comparative studies.

This book spotlights the plight of African American boys and men, examining multiple systems beyond education, incarceration, and employment to assess their impact on the mental and physical health of African American boys and men—and challenges everyday citizens to help start a social transformation. Beyond Stereotypes in Black and White: How Everyday Leaders Can Build Healthier Opportunities for African American Boys and Men exposes the daily plight of African American boys and men, identifying the social and policy infrastructure that ensnares them in a downward spiral that worsens with each exposure to our system that offers unemployment, low-wage work, marginalization, and incarceration. The book examines why African American boys and men are more sickly and die younger than any other racial group in the United States, have very few health coverage options, and are consistently incarcerated at rates that are wildly disproportionate to their representation of the U.S. population; and it documents how this tremendous injustice comes with a cost that burdens all groups in American society, not just African Americans. Additionally, the author challenges readers to see that all of us must act individually and collectively to right this social wrong.

Of the myriad books dealing with relationships that are available today, "Walking Proud" is the first one to confront candidly, supportively, and authoritatively, the attitudes and issues surrounding Black male sexuality. Dr. Smith offers powerful advice for Black men and women, including: -- What specific stereotypes sabotage relationships between Black men and women -- and how to spot them. -- What anger and abuse mean in a sexual relationship and how to change hurtful behavior, before it ruins your life. -- How to master the basics of intimate communication and stop fighting. -- The issues that can drive Black couples apart and keep black men from knowing their true self-worth. -- What to do about sexual problems. -- What black women want from Black men, and what Black men need from Black women. -- How to provide sons with a positive role model and what it really means to be a Black man.

This volume is the first collection of studies devoted exclusively to Chicana literature. It contains important articles on the female hero in Chicano literature, the fictive voices of Chicana novelists, the prose of Gina Valdes and Sylvia Lizarraga, the short stories of Estela Portillo Trambley, the poetic "I" in Alma Villanueva's Mother, May I?, and humor in Chicanao literature.