Boxing and Urban Cultures
‘When the Smoke Clears:’
SOC280: Lecture II

 2016 Czech Fulbright Mid-year Conference
Olomouc, Czech Republic
27-30 January 2016
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Authentic Boxing Club
Kansas City, USA
¤http://www.authenticboxing.com
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Authentic Boxing Club
Kansas City, USA
¤https://www.facebook.com/pages/Authentic-Boxing-Club/182229248485793
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Structural Violence and the Damaged Urban Life
¤Kanye West: ‘All falls down’ College Dropout
¤https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8kyWDhB_QeI

Structural Violence and the Damaged Urban Life
¤It seems we livin’ the American dream, but the people highest up got the lowest self-esteem.
¤The prettiest people do the ugliest things, for the road to riches and diamond rings.
¤We shine because they hate us, floss cause’ they degrade us.
¤We tryin’ to buy back our 40 acres. And for that paper,
¤Look how low we a’ stoop.
¤Even if you in a Benz, you still a nigga in a coupe.

Happy Gilmore’s
Kansas City, USA
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Joe Frazier’s Gym
Philadelphia, PA
¤Located in North Philadelphia (The ‘Badlands’)
¤Century-old, 30,000 square feet former lumber warehouse (address: 2917 North Broad Street )
¤Opened in 1968 as the ‘Cloverlay Gym’
¤Frazier trains there for his entire career, retiring and living in the upstairs flat in 1976
¤Neighborhood to ‘the hood’
¤Recently designated as a US historical landmark
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Joe Frazier’s Gym
Philadelphia, PA
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Joe Frazier’s Gym
Philadelphia, PA
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The Badlands
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The Badlands
¤36, 268 residents
¤94% African-American
¤52% of residents are unemployed
¤18777USD: median household income for a family of four (Pennsylvania household median for a family
of four is 40106USD)

The Badlands
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The Badlands
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The Badlands
¤25000USD: average house value in area
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¤25%: housing unit vacancy rate
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¤36%: number of Badlands residents with high school diplomas

The Badlands
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The Badlands
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The Badlands
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The Badlands
¤George Clymer Elementary School
¤28%: number of 8th grade students that perform at grade level in mathematics
¤14%: number of 8th grade students that perform at grade level in science
¤42%: number of 8th grade students that are able to read and write at grade level
¤
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The Badlands
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The Badlands
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