In that tradition of intense inquiry and meticulous fieldwork, Pattillo moved into the neighborhood she studied in her books. She says she hopes her research will help middle-class residents engage in politics that will benefit the entire community.
“We middle-class minorities are cognizant of our roles and the times at which our behaviors are against the interest of African-Americans,” she says.
Scholars aren’t isolated from social change, agrees Cohen, who adds that the study of Black life should help the nation fulfill “its promise of equality and justice.”
“Wilson showed that you can do rigorous work in the academy that can also improve people’s lives,” she says. “That is the ultimate goal in doing academic work.”
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