21st century mojo: the practice of ritual and hip hop among bright, black university students at a predominantly white university

In this qualitative project, I interviewed eight Black male and female students, ages 22-30, to explore how they engage hip hop culture within the social, cultural, political, and historical conditions specific to the southeastern flagship university they attend. By focusing on their everyday lives and the interactions that are possible within the multiple social spaces of the university, my purpose was to better understand how these students use hip hop culture to make sense of their experiences on campus. More specifically, my dissertation locates the ritual practices that these students perform in the process of constructing and negotiating the socio-cultural terrain of the university; addresses the methodological issues that arise when conducting qualitative research that focuses on gifted, Black students; and explores the educative value of practicing hip hop. The significance of this work lies with its attention to the intersection where the processes of cultural production meet giftedness as well as its emphasis on the socio-emotional development of gifted and talented Black university students.