Search

In this paper I argue for a more precise reconstruction of black counterpublic theory that emphasizes the differences between institutional and non-institutional, or strong and weak, counterpublic sites. My argument proceeds from two objections to Melissa Harris-Lacewell's 2004 book, "Barbershops, Bibles, and BET." First, Dr. Harris-Lacwell does not clarify if or how 'the black counterpublic' is distinct from other subaltern counterpublics. I argue that this difficulty presents itself because 'the black counterpublic' is too complex and diverse to be analyzed. All that naming the black counterpublic does is affirm that black political discourse exists. Once it has been named, analytic use of the black counterpublic is exhausted. If we wish to analyze black political discourse, we have to examine specific black counterpublic sites or invocations, rather than the black counterpublic as a whole. Second, though Harris-Lacewell does look at a variety of sites, she hedges between using the term "black" as a simple descriptor, conveying that the people at the counterpublic site are black, and using "black" as an idea that describes the character of the site or discourse. I begin by presenting a brief summary of crucial issues in the public sphere and counterpublics debate, drawing largely from Nancy Fraser's seminal article, "Rethinking the Public Sphere" (1989). Following the review, I situate Harris-Lacewell in the public sphere debate, and try to pin down how she uses the term "black counterpublic." I then underscore the strengths of Barbershops, Bibles, and BET, and note its contributions to theories of black ideology. Finally, I turn to the text's ambiguities and unanswered questions, which point to a more comprehensive theory of black counterpublics and the work they do. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article reviews the book "A Framework for Understanding Poverty," by Ruby Payne.

Nurses in an intensive care unit must make immediate care-giving decisions that have observable and potentially life-altering consequences for patients. Previous research suggests that information-seeking behavior in this setting would be based on perceived expertise and availability. However, social network research has also found a strong tendency in groups toward balanced relationships between members. In a group with an uneven distribution of expertise but strong norms of cooperation and reciprocity, seeking information from others may also depend on expectations of reciprocal behavior in difficult situations. This study examines the reported interpersonal consultation networks of 32 nurses in an intensive care unit to explore competing explanations for their information-seeking behaviors. Nurses did tend to report they would seek information from nurses they perceived as having high levels of expertise. Nurses with an intermediate level of nursing experience, however, reported differentiated information-seeking behavior with novice nurses, while nurses perceived as experts were either highly selective or very unselective in who they reported they would consult with. There were also meaningful differences in reported consultation patterns between the day and night shifts. ..PAT.-Unpublished Manuscript [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]