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Moral lives of low-income African American youth are explored in this thesis. In semi-structured interviews the youth, who are a part of an after school enrichment program, talk about their most significant moral dilemmas. Belying the negative stereotypical image of youth from their socioeconomic and ethnic background they meet the program s requirements of maintaining high grades and a good behavioral record.Using the language of justice and care from Kohlberg s (1969) Justice Theory of Moral Development and Gilligan s (1982) Ethic of Care theory the moral elements in their narratives are identified. Applying Blasi s (1983) Self-Model theory to these moral elements, over half the participants are found to have established a moral identity characterized by resistance . Those who possess this moral identity accept expectations made of them by society and avoid behavior that would make them like the negative stereotype of youth from their background. Further, it is found that such resistance is arrived at through a process of introspection, a finding that fits Durkheim s (1925) definition of moral action.

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Pronoti Majithia has worked with youth in several different settings in the United States, Canada and India. She has a Master´s degree in Sociology from the University of Cincinnati. Currently she lives and works in Canada.

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