Randy+Clemens

Hi everyone,

Attached is the first chapter of my dissertation. Every month for the next three months, a draft of a chapter is due to my advisor. I submitted chapter one yesterday.

Sorry for the delay and for missing class. Because data collection occurs over such a short period in our program, if a wave of interviews comes, I have to ride it for as long as possible.

See you Thursday! Randy

P.S. Here's the abstract from my proposal.

Since the publication of W.E.B. Du Bois’ ( 1996 [1899]  ) //The Philadelphia Negro//, scholars have conducted neighborhood studies to examine a range of social issues. The proposed study continues this sociological tradition in order to examine how cultural heterogeneity—the multiplicity of cultural beliefs, traditions, values, behaviors, and languages—affects teenagers living and learning in a low-income neighborhood. The purpose is to understand the sources and influence of neighborhood social and cultural capital. In other words, when teenagers are not in school, where, with whom, and for what purpose do they spend their time, and how do the experiences influence education outcomes? The author’s argument is twofold: First, the neighborhood houses vast amounts of cultural heterogeneity that explains a range of neighborhood cultural and social capital as well as education outcomes among teenagers. Second, a teenager’s access to and practice of dominant social and cultural capital will increase his likelihood for positive academic outcomes.