Afropoiesis: Towards a Multicultural Consumer Interface in Cyberspace

Abstract

This paper presents a model for introducing an African American cultural presence into the emerging electronic marketplace. The author addresses three dominant themes; (1) symbolic consumption, (2) ethnic segmentation, and (3) the relevance of African American ethnic values and esthetics in electronically mediated environments. The proposed model draws from the fields of semiotics, computer science, communication, psychology, sociology, philosophy, art, as well as marketing.