Reflexivity and Religion: How the life histories of three public African American figures display agential variation from their upbringing during the mid-20th century

Details

Supervisors

Berger, Mathieu

Faculty

Faculté des sciences économiques, sociales, politiques et de communication

Degree label

Master [120] en sociologie, à finalité didactique

Abstract

enAbstract: this research project consists of the application of Margaret Archer’s Morphogenetic approach in a biographical case study of three significant African American historical figures, Malcolm X, Muhammad Ali, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. The research question is: “How do the life histories of three public African American figures display agential variation from their upbringing during the 20th century?” The primary focus is that of significant religious conversions. In examining their life stories through autobiographies, biographies, and other historical sources, I identify the significant pre-existing conditioning structures and cultures that would shape their experiences. Through their interactions and reflexivity, we observe both how they were constrained and how they expressed their agency and what the outcomes were for the historical figures as well as the larger structures and cultures within the historical context.