Site of Resilience

Abstract

The following argument calls for the radical reconceptualization of the concept of resiliency and resilience for street life–oriented Black men. This theoretical analysis critiques assumptions embedded within traditional models of resilience asserting (a) they are too value-laden, (b) place much of the onus on individuals to determine resilience, (c) lack a structural dimension, and (d) allow only “experts” to deem individuals as resilient or nonresilient. A site of resilience theoretical model is an alternative conceptualization presented to examine notions of resilience in street life–oriented Black men. The site of resilience theory (a) takes into account street life–oriented Black men’s subjective constructions of resilience; (b) examines them in relation to issues of race, gender, and social class; and (c) identifies psychological and physical spaces or “sites” for evaluating more relevantly the ways in which street life–oriented Black men cope and become resilient.