Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Don’t Love No Fight: Healing and Identity Among Urban Youth

  • Published:
The Urban Review Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

A neighborhood in Philadelphia, PA, hard hit by violence, approached the local chapter of Physicians for Social Responsibility on behalf of its youth. The chapter responded by developing a psychosocial after-school intervention for early adolescent males, which participants named Peaceful Posse. Youth showed up consistently for the groups, after school and on their own, sometimes for years. Yet the program recognized that there was a great deal not fully understood about the lives of its participants. The present study used a careful analysis of individual interviews conducted with a sample of boys to extend the program’s understanding. Including the perspectives of these participants offered a deeper appreciation of the challenges youth face when exposed to chronic violence and of their resourcefulness at finding relationships to help themselves through these challenges. Their perspectives helped the program to broaden its understanding of healing. The key role of identity as an embodiment of the hopes of the young men helped the program to better appreciate this particularly important locus of healing for urban youth exposed to violence.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Anderson, E., (1999). Code of the street W.W. Norton & Company New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Barrerra, M., Prelow, H., (2000). Interventions to promote social support in children and adolescents In: Cicchetti D., Rappaport J., Sandler I., Weissberg R. P., (Eds.), The promotion of wellness in children and adolescents CWLA Press Washington, DC pp. 309–339

    Google Scholar 

  • Benson, P. L., Scales, P. C., Leffert, N., Roehlkepartain, E. C. (1999). A fragile foundation Search Institute Minneapolis, MN

    Google Scholar 

  • Bloom, S. L., Reichert, M., (1998). Bearing witness Haworth Maltreatment Press New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Bourdieu, P., (2001). Masculine domination Stanford University Press NY

    Google Scholar 

  • Chu, J. Y., (2004). Adolescent boy’s identity development In Way N., Chu J. Y., (Eds.), Adolescent boys NYU Press New York (pp. 78–104)

    Google Scholar 

  • Clinton, G., (2002). Mentoring programs for at-risk youth The Prevention Researcher 9(1): 1–3

    Google Scholar 

  • Connell, R. W., (1996). Teaching the boys: New research on masculinity and gender strategies for schools Teachers’ College Record 98(2): 206–235

    Google Scholar 

  • Cooley, C. H., (1902). Human nature and the social order Scribner NY

    Google Scholar 

  • Cowen, E. L., (1994). The enhancement of psychological wellness: Challenges and opportunities American Journal of Community Psychology 22: 149–179

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cunningham, M., Meunier, L. K., (2004). The influence of peer experiences on Bravado attitudes among African American males In Way N., Chu J. Y., (Eds.), Adolescent boys NYU Press New York (pp. 219–232)

    Google Scholar 

  • Daiute, C., Fine, M., (2003). Youth perspectives on violence and injustice Journal of Social Issues 59(1): 1–14

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ferguson, A. A., (2000). Bad boys University of Michigan Press Ann Arbor, MI

    Google Scholar 

  • Fordham, S., (1996). Blacked out University of Chicago Press Chicago, IL

    Google Scholar 

  • Garbarino, J., (1992). Towards a sustainable society The Noble Press Chicago, IL

    Google Scholar 

  • Glantz, M. D., Sloboda Z., (1999). Analysis and reconceptualization of resilience In Glantz M. D., Johnson J. L., (Eds.), Resilience and development Kluwer Academic Publishers New York pp. 109–128

    Google Scholar 

  • Gorenstein, N. (2004). A decline in city’s well-to-do families. Philadelphia Inquirer, Wednesday, August 11, Section B, p. 1

  • Herman, J. L., (1992). Trauma and recovery Basic Books New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Jackins, H., (1994). The human side of human beings Rational Island Press Seattle, WA

    Google Scholar 

  • Janoff-Bulman, R., (1992). Shattered assumptions: Towards a new psychology of trauma The Free Press New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Jordan, J. V., (2004). Relational resilience In Jordan J. V., Walker M., Hartling L. M., (Eds), The complexity of connection The Guilford Press New York pp. 28–46

    Google Scholar 

  • Kaplan, H. B., (1999). Toward an understanding of resilience: A critical review of definitions and models In Glantz M. D., Johnson J. L., (Eds.), Resilience and development Kluwer Academic Publishers New York pp. 17–84

    Google Scholar 

  • Kauffman, J., (2002) Safety and the asumptive world In: Kauffman J., (Ed.), Loss of the assumptive world Brunner–Routledge New York pp. 205–211

    Google Scholar 

  • Layne, C. M., Pynoos, R. S., Cardenas, J., (2001). Wounded adolescence In Shofris M., Shofris S., (Eds.), School violence: Contributing factors, management and prevention American Psychiatric Press Washington, DC

    Google Scholar 

  • Lorion, R. P., (2000). Theoretical and evaluation issues in the promotion of wellness and the protection of “well enough” In Cicchetti D., Rappaport J., Sandler I., Weissberg R. P., (Eds.), The promotion of wellness in children and adolescents CWLA Press Washington, DC pp. 1–27

    Google Scholar 

  • Luthar, S. S., Burack, J. A., (2000). Adolescent wellness: In the eye of the beholder? In Cicchetti D., Rappaport J., Sandler I., Weissberg R. P., (Eds.), The promotion of wellness in children and adolescents CWLA Press Washington, DC pp. 29–57

    Google Scholar 

  • Mahiri, J., Connor, E., (2003). Black youth violence has a bad rap Journal of Social Issues 59(1): 121–140

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Masten, A. S., (2001). Ordinary magic American Psychologist 56(3): 227–238

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Miller, J. B., Stiver, I. P., (1997). The healing connection Beacon Press Boston, MA

    Google Scholar 

  • Osofsky, J. D., (1995). The effects of exposure to violence on young children American Psychologist 50(9): 782–788

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Philadelphia Safe and Sound (2003). Report card 2003 Safe and Sound Philadelphia, PA

    Google Scholar 

  • Powell, L. C., (2003). On (not) coloring in the outline Journal of Social Issues 59(1): 197–211

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Resnick, M. D., Bearman, P. S., Blum, R. W., Bauman, K. E., Harris, K. M., Jones, J., Tabor, J., Beuhring, T., Sieving, R. E., Shew, M., Ireland, M., Bearinger, L. H., Udry, J. R., (1997). Protecting adolescents from harm Journal of the American Medical Association 278(10): 823–832

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rink, E., Tricker, R., (2003). Resiliency-based research and adolescent health behaviors The Prevention Researcher 10(1): 1–4

    Google Scholar 

  • Roth, S., Newman, E., (1991). The process of coping with sexual trauma Journal of Traumatic Stress 4: 279–296

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Saltzman, W. R., Pynoos, R. S., Layne, C. M., Steinberg, A. M., Aisenberg, E., (2001). Trauma and grief-focused intervention for adolescents exposed to community violence: Results of a school-based screening and group treatment protocol Group Dynamics 5(4): 291–303

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Scheff, T. J., (1972). Reevaluation counseling: Social implications. The Journal of Humanistic Psychology, 12(Spring Issue)

  • Singer, M. I., Anglin, T. M., Song, L. Y., Lunghofer, L., (1995). Adolescents’ exposure to violence and associated symptoms of psychological trauma Journal of the American Medical Association 273(6): 477–482

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Somers, B. (1972). Reevaluation therapy: Theoretical framework. The Journal of Humanistic Psychology, 1(Spring Issue)

  • Spence Coffey, D., (2000). Peaceful posse: Mentoring, education and healing for children exposed to community violence. Internal report PSR Philadelphia, PA

    Google Scholar 

  • Spencer, M. B., Cunningham, M., Swanson, D. P., (1995). Identity as coping: Adolescent African American makes’ adaptive response to high-risk environments In Harris H. W., Blue H. C., Griffith E. H., (Eds.), Racial and ethnic identity” Psychological development and creative expression Routledge New York (pp. 31–52)

    Google Scholar 

  • Stein, B. D.,Jaycox, L. H., Kataoka, S. H., Wong, M., Tu, W., Elliott, M. N., Fink, A., (2003). A mental health intervention for schoolchildren exposed to violence Journal of the American Medical Association 290(5): 603–611

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stevenson, H. C., (2004). Boys in men’s clothing In Way N., Chu J. Y., (Eds.), Adolescent boys NYU Press New York (pp. 59–77)

    Google Scholar 

  • Walker, M., (2004). How relationships heal In Walker M., Rosen W. B., (Eds.), How connections heal The Guilford Press New York pp. 3–21

    Google Scholar 

  • Way, N., (1998). Everyday courage NYU Press New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Weissberg, R. P, Kumpfer, K. L., Seligman, M., (2003). Prevention that works for children and youth American Psychologist 58(6/7): 425–432

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Center for the Study of Boys’ Lives, 450 Lancaster Avenue, Haverford, PA, 19041, USA

    Michael C. Reichert & Brett Stoudt

  2. Graduate School of Education, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19041, USA

    Peter Kuriloff

Authors
  1. Michael C. Reichert
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Brett Stoudt
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Peter Kuriloff
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Michael C. Reichert.

Additional information

Michael C. Reichert is the Executive Director of the Center for the Study of Boys’ Lives, Haverford, USA. Brett Stoudt is a Senior Research Associate in Center for the Study of Boys’ Lives, Haverford, USA. Peter Kuriloff is a Professor in Graduate School of Education, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, USA.

Appendix1

Appendix1

Interview Questions

  1. 1.

    Where do you live? How long have you lived there? Who lives with you? Can you tell me about your relationships with those who live with you?

  2. 2.

    What is your neighborhood like? Where do you go? What do you like to do? Are there places in your neighborhood you do not feel comfortable going to?

  3. 3.

    What school do you attend? What grade are you in? What is school like for you? Have you been in any trouble in school?

  4. 4.

    How long have you been attending Peaceful Posse? Why do you attend? What do you do in the group? What is your relationship with the other boys in the group? With the group’s leader?

  5. 5.

    Have you seen or experienced violence? In your neighborhood? In school? What kinds of violence have you witnessed? Experienced?

  6. 6.

    What has your experience with fighting been?

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Reichert, M., Stoudt, B. & Kuriloff, P. Don’t Love No Fight: Healing and Identity Among Urban Youth. Urban Rev 38, 187–209 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11256-006-0033-7

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11256-006-0033-7

Keywords

Search

Navigation