The Psychology of Skin Bleaching

This book examines the controversial global phenomenon of skin bleaching. It uses a social psychological approach to explain the motivations, behaviour and medical consequences of the practice, considering why some people use products to lighten their complexion.

Autorentext

Christopher A.D. Charles is a professor of political and social psychology in the Department of Government at the University of the West Indies, Jamaica. He has published over 50 peer-reviewed journal articles and book chapters on skin bleaching, crime and violence, election forecasting, and sports. He completed his PhD in psychology and his dissertation on skin bleaching at the Graduate Center, CUNY, and is one of the world's leading experts on the topic, which he has been researching for 25 years. Professor Charles is also a Distinguished Scholar at the P.J. Patterson Institute for Africa-Caribbean Advocacy, University of the West Indies, Mona. He is also a finalizing graduate student in epidemiology at Mailman School of Public Health of Columbia University. Professor Charles is a regular contributor to public discussions in the Jamaican media and other Caribbean media. He has consulted with the BBC for their Question Time program in the Caribbean and with CNN for their Race in America series, and has interviewed with other international news agencies. He has also been a consultant to several Caribbean governments.

Inhalt

List of Figures

List of Tables

Introduction

Chapter 1 Social Representations

Chapter 2 Race and Skin Color in the Past and Present

Chapter 3 The Global Practice of Skin Bleaching

Chapter 4 Skin Bleaching in Colonial and Postcolonial Newspapers

Chapter 5 Skin Bleaching, Race, and Skin Color in Popular Culture

Chapter 6 Creating the Self: Race, Skin Color, and Identity

Chapter 7 Skin Bleaching as Established Social Practice

Chapter 8 Musings on the Politics of Race and Skin Color

Chapter 9 Some Policy Suggestions in Response to Skin Bleaching

References

Appendix