What do sociologists call it when an African American individual is told he or she is NOT really ""black enough""?

Question

Social Studies

Cadence Vega

3 September, 00:17

What do sociologists call it when an African American individual is told he or she is NOT really ""black enough""?

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Answers (1)

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Sonia Petty · Answer 1

The identity challenge

Explanation:

The identity we take is a name for personality or characteristics we associate with according to our life, history, ideal, political values, moral attitudes, religious beliefs, etc.

Black identity as such is personal identification that African American people take as a product not only of their race or skin color but of their communities, history, living conditions and racism they face. If someone is not considered "black enough" they might, in the eyes of another, lack some these aspects that would create their identity: maybe they didn't grow up in the tradition of other people in the community or their skin is lighter, maybe nowadays they don't involve themselves with the community enough, or any other of the reasons.

This produces challenges to identity.

In this case, the identity as a category is being questioned, is not believed in, is challenged either by the community or the individual or both. It can later grow to affect a person in question in a sense that they grow not to be sure of their identity, their position, to feel abandoned by the community or face any of the other sociological or psychological problems.