Publisher's Synopsis
A groundbreaking contribution to the social sciences literature, this is a systematic and theoretically-based examination of the psychosocial development and individual life structures of Black men. Based on an intensive investigation of 10 Black male entrepreneurs from diverse backgrounds, the study explores the relationship between race awareness and dynamics, and adult development. The author organizes his analysis around the concept of evolving life structures, which holds that stable structure-building periods alternate with transitional structure-building periods. His conclusions regarding the pervasive influence of race throughout adult life add an important new dimension to social psychological theories of personality development.
Herbert begins be providing a theoretical overview of adult development concepts and the nature of race and racism. The major portion of the volume is devoted to an in-depth presentation and analysis of the author's research findings. Divided into chapters that correspond to the various life stages from early adulthood transition through mid-life transition, the discussion centers upon the lives of the 10 black entrepreneurs who participated in the study and the ways in which race and racial dynamics affected them at critical stages in the adult development process. In the final chapters, Herbert integrates his findings with the theory of evolving age specific developmental periods. Throughout the study, theoretical work is supplemented and supported by extended biographical case study material, making this an excellent source of readings for courses in the clinical social sciences.
