Familles afro-américaines en crise

The arguments used by social scientists regarding a crisis of African-American kinship system are examined. Recent research has often countered Moynihan's thesis, focusing on the resistance of Black kin networks or on the adverse conditions faced by Blacks. The debate on this subject is shown to have evolved depending on the political context. It is argued here that a study of black families should take into account cultural specificities as well as the economic position of the Blacks and their minority status. The discussion centers on female-headed families and teenage mothers, emphasizing that the problems they face may also be present in other groups, and thus suggesting that the family crisis may be a more general phenomenon in American society.Le Dantec-Lowry Hélène. Familles afro-américaines en crise. In: Revue Française d'Etudes Américaines, N°64, mai 1995. Crise et crises. pp. 307-316