Scandalize My Name: Black Feminist Practice and the Making of Black Social Life (Commonalities)

From sapphire, mammy, and jezebel to the angry black woman, baby mama, and nappy-headed ho, black female iconography has had a long and tortured history in public culture. The telling of this history has long occupied the work of black female theorists—much of which has been foundational in situating black women within the matrix of sociopolitical thought and practice in the United States. __Scandalize My Name__ builds upon the rich tradition of this work while taking a detour from conventional stereotype discourse to argue that black social life defies the limitations of representational thought and practice. By approaching the study of black female representation not as a mechanism of negative or positive valuation but as an opening onto a serious contemplation of the vagaries of black social life, Williamson makes a case for a radical black subject position that structures and is structured by an amorphous social order that ultimately destabilizes the very notion of “civil society.” At turns memoir, sociological inquiry, literary analysis, and cultural critique, __Scandalize My Name__ explores topics as varied as serial murder, reality television, Christian evangelism, and the novels of Toni Morrison, to advance black feminist practice as a modality through which black sociality is both theorized and made material. From Sapphire, Mammy, And Jezebel, To The Angry Black Woman, Baby Mama, And Nappy-headed Ho, Black Female Iconography Has Had A Long And Tortured History In Public Culture. The Telling Of This History Has Long Occupied The Work Of Black Female Theorists--much Of Which Has Been Foundational In Situating Black Women Within The Matrix Of Sociopolitical Thought And Practice In The United States. Scandalize My Name Builds Upon The Rich Tradition Of This Work While Approaching The Study Of Black Female Representation As An Opening Onto A Critical Contemplation Of The Vagaries Of Black Social Life. It Makes A Case For A Radical Black Subject-position That Structures And Is Structured By An Intramural Social Order That Revels In The Underside Of The Stereotype And Ultimately Destabilizes The Very Notion Of Civil Society. At Turns Memoir, Sociological Inquiry, Literary Analysis, And Cultural Critique, Scandalize My Name Explores Topics As Varied As Serial Murder, Reality Television, Christian Evangelism, Teenage Pregnancy, And The Work Of Toni Morrison To Advance Black Feminist Practice As A Mode Through Which Black Sociality Is Both Theorized And Made Material. Introduction : Back To Living Again -- 1. On Anger -- 2. Getting Happy -- 3. The Way It Is -- 4. Baby Mama -- 5. In The Life -- Afterword : We Gon' Be Alright. Terrion L. Williamson. Issued As Part Of Upcc Book Collections On Project Muse. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Mode Of Access: World Wide Web. From sapphire, mammy, and jezebel, to the angry black woman, baby mama, and nappy-headed ho, black female iconography has had a long and tortured history in public culture. The telling of this history has long occupied the work of black female theorists--much of which has been foundational in situating black women within the matrix of sociopolitical thought and practice in the United States. This book builds upon the tradition of this work while approaching the study of black female representation as an opening onto a critical contemplation of the vagaries of black social life. It makes a case for a radical black subject-position that structures and is structured by an intramural social order that revels in the underside of the stereotype and ultimately destabilizes the very notion of "civil society." At turns memoir, sociological inquiry, literary analysis, and cultural critique, the book explores topics as varied as serial murder, reality television, Christian evangelism, teenage pregnancy, and the work of Toni Morrison to advance black feminist practice as a mode through which black sociality is both theorized and made material From sapphire, mammy, and jezebel to the angry black woman, baby mama, and nappy-headed ho, black female iconography has had a long and tortured history in public culture. The telling of this history has long occupied the work of black female theorists - much of which has been foundational in situating black women within the matrix of sociopolitical thought and practice in the United States. 'Scandalize My Name' builds upon the rich tradition of this work while taking a detour from conventional stereotype discourse to argue that black social life defies the limitations of representational thought and practice Contents 7 Introduction: Back to Living Again 9 1 On Anger 31 2 Getting Happy 48 3 The Way It Is 72 4 Baby Mama 95 5 In the Life 121 Afterword: We Gon’ Be Alright 143 Acknowl edgments 149 Notes 155 Index 177 "A cultural analysis of representation and representational discourse that advances black feminist practice as a modality through which black social life is both theorized and made material."