Everyday Sociology Talk: Nikki Jones and the Meaning of "Ghetto"

Karen Sternheimer interviews sociologist Nikki Jones about her book, Between Good and Ghetto: African American Girls and Inner-City Violence.

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Comments

[sam]

ummm this is crazy...

http://youtu.be/j-PnsZb4hWk

[julia bryant]

I for one have never heard of the term "ghetto" in a positive way. when you hear the word ghetto, you are thinking of a location, how someone looks, acts ect. I would have never imagined someone using the word ghetto in describing how they rose above challenges.

[Jessica]

This is an amazing video. It really shows people how different meanings of the same word could be. I've seen a positive explanation of the word ghetto. Normally when you say the word people think you're talking down on certain races, or making fun of people's life styles. But after watching this video I now have a different view.

[Bailey]

I think the meaning of ghetto could mean many things but describing it in a negative way is only explaining the way that many people know about it. At least from the people that I've talked to or heard talk about it. This explains more into the different meanings of it.

[Kevin chamow]

This is really interesting. It just goes to show you that language needs to be understood in its social context, not as an unchanging, unconscious structure. imo

Kevin Chamow

[Jalen Conway]

I like this video, and it is kind of ridiculous when it comes to how people use the term "ghetto". People use it as a negative and a positive. Ghetto is basically making the best out of what you have, and doing anything legally to survive. That is my meaning of the word ghetto.