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- Title
European Melody, African Rhythm, or West Indian Harmony? CHanging Cultural Identity Among Leaders in a New State.
- Authors
Bell, Wendell; Robinson, Robert V.
- Abstract
ABSTRACT We compare a re-study of the cultural identities of 83 leaders in 1974, twelve years after Jamaica's political independence, with a study completed just before independence in 1962. With a largely slave-descendant, black population, Jamaica has a mixed Creole culture with Anglo-European and African features combined with local modifications and innovations. Historically, cultural domination followed political domination, and the Anglo cultural features were most influential and positively correlated with social class. Over the last several years, however, the African elements have been asserted by a number of groups, including Black Power advocates. From 1962 to 1974, Jamaican leaders became dramatically less Anglo-European and more West Indian in their cultural identities. Also, a smaller increase in favorable attitudes toward the African heritage may have occurred among the leaders. In 1962, West Indian identified leaders were younger; light brown or medium brown in skin color; less well educated; political or labor leaders; relatively not wealthy; and favorably disposed toward political democracy, political independence, a large role of the state in the economy, and social equality. In 1974, only age maintained its correlation; others were smaller. Path models were constructed explaining 55 percent of the variance in West Indian cultural identity and 57 percent in attitudes toward the African heritage in 1962, but only 12 and 11
- Subjects
JAMAICA; GROUP identity; JAMAICAN politics &; government; POLITICIANS -- Psychology; IDENTITY (Psychology); CLASS identity
- Publication
Social Forces, 1979, Vol 58, Issue 1, p249
- ISSN
0037-7732
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.2307/2577796