Can Obama Raise Black Youth Interest in Government?

University of Chicago political science professor Cathy Cohen spoke Monday about black youths, political and economic equality, and Barack Obama in a talk at the School of International and Public Affairs centered on her “Black Youth Project.” Though the presentation focused mostly on Cohen’s study of African-American young adults and their views on government and equal opportunity, questions posed afterward sparked a debate on the importance of Obama’s campaign for the Democratic nomination.

The lecture—presented by the Institute for Social and Economic Research and Policy and the Workshop on American Society and Politics—highlighted Cohen’s efforts to understand and clarify black youths’ perspectives on national politics, their level of confidence in the American government, as well as their views on other issues. Cohen oversaw surveys and interviews of African Americans between the ages of 15 and 25 and analyzed hip-hop music, and as a result came to what she called “troublesome” findings.

According to Cohen’s statistics, nearly 70 percent of black youths surveyed believe the American government is self-interested, and over 50 percent say they, as African Americans, receive a poorer education than their white peers. The political alienation black youths experience corresponds with a drop in their confidence in government, though both audience members and Cohen herself were shocked to learn that most of those surveyed believed that “in the United States, everyone has an equal chance to succeed.”

Discussion of political ostracism shifted the focus of the lecture to Obama’s candidacy.

Though audience members raised questions about Obama’s commitment to helping black youth, Cohen, who has interacted with many disadvantaged African-American teens who say they like Obama because he has a “similar background” to theirs, asserted that the Illinois senator’s presidential run may renew young blacks’ interest in the political sphere.

“I think young and black people will feel incredibly alienated from the government if Barack loses,” Cohen said, but also noted with some concern that, should Obama be the Democratic nominee, the election may become very “racialized.”

In an opinion shared by a number of audience members, Cohen criticized Obama’s rhetoric-and-personality-based campaign, which, she said, does little to truly connect to the black community.

“You have a responsibility to the people who put you into this race to discuss the issues that are relevant to black youths,” she said.

scott.levi@columbiaspectator.com