Pride in the Projects

Book excerpt: Based on four years of field work with both the adolescent members and staff of an inner-city youth organization in a large mid-western city, Pride in the Projects examines the construction of identity as it occurs within teens' local contexts, emphasizing the relationships within which identities are formed. Drawing on research in psychology, sociology, education, and race and gender studies, the volume highlights the inadequacies in current identity development theories, expanding our understanding of the lives of urban teens and the ways in which interpersonal connections serve as powerful contexts for self-construction. The book closes with implications for practice, alerting scholars, educators, practitioners, and concerned citizens of the positive developmental possibilities when we pay attention to the voices of the youth.