Taking Boys Out of the Hood: Exile as a Parenting Strategy for African American Male Youth

Abstract

Research indicates that inner-city neighborhood effects are correlated with school dropout, substance abuse, crime, violence, homicide, HIV risk related behaviors, and incarceration for adolescent African American males. Parents of adolescent African American males face many challenges as they try to keep their children safe in high-risk neighborhoods. Parents often use multiple parenting approaches to improve the life chances and opportunities for this vulnerable population of youth. This chapter elaborates on the concept of exile. Exile is a parenting strategy used by parents to relocate young African American males living in high-risk communities to safer spaces. Drawing on qualitative data collected from a longitudinal ethnographic research study on the social context of adolescent violence among African American males, this chapter examines exile as a parenting approach used to keep children safe.