By Sharon Jacob. In her seminal essay, “Can the Subaltern Speak?” Gayatri C. Spivak points out that the subaltern cannot speak not because, “the subaltern cannot pronounce words or produce sentences. The subaltern “cannot speak,” instead, because her speech falls short of fully authorized, political speech. Too much gets in the way of her message’s being heard, socially […]
By Midori E. Hartman. November 7th is an important day in United States history for more than one reason. On this same day in 1893, Colorado held a referendum to determine women’s suffrage—the right to vote—becoming the first U.S. state to do so. This would kickstart a domino effect for enfranchisement for women at the […]
By Midori E. Hartman. She wished to find out about this hazardous business of “passing,” this breaking away from all that was familiar and friendly to take one’s chances in another environment, not entirely strange, perhaps, but certainly not friendly. (Nella Larsen, “Passing,” 1929). First there was Rachel Dolezal, then there was Jessica Krug, and […]
Black feminists and other scholars of gender studies have critiqued the whiteness of the Feminist movement, noting how the suffrage movement and second and third wave feminism have often betrayed or overlooked Black and brown women’s needs, rights, and organizations. Feminism has benefited from and participated in White supremacy. Religions have, as well, been complicit […]
FSR supports the #ScholarStrike on September 8th and 9th, a 48 hour period for scholars to take a stand against racism, especially anti-Black racism. For more information, see academeblog.org, InsideHigherEd, and CNN. Additionally, see the American Academy of Religion’s statement and the Keeping it 101 podcast’s reflection on the strike. If you would like to participate in the #ScholarStrike, visit the action’s official […]
By Stephanie Buckhanon Crowder. There is a theology of geography. There is a connection between space and fate. There is something unspoken that connects destiny with places, places with people. Towns and cities do not surface with notoriety. Sometimes the most unexpected places produce the most extraordinary people. Before August 9, 2014, there was little […]
By Oluwatomisin Oredein. The Motivation On June 5th, 2020 I took to Facebook to post a message inspired by the wave of white recognition of racism’s unrelenting evil, especially in light of the murder of George Floyd. En masse, I saw how white people were beginning to feel the world differently. I also recognized that […]
Feminist Studies in Religion7.1.20 The leadership of Feminist Studies in Religion (FSR) reflected on and continues to lament the anti-Black racism exposed in the recent police killings of Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, Rayshard Brooks, and other Black people, which have gained international attention. After conversation across our various boards and leadership, we have developed the […]
By Megan Goodwin and Yohana Agra Junker. Though it began as a sole-authored curation, this piece developed in conversation with a reviewer, Dr. Yohana Agra Junker, Faculty Associate in Theology, Spirituality, and the Arts at the Pacific School of Religion, and in consultation with her colleagues Dr. Oluwatomisin Oredein and doctoral candidate Tamisha Tyler. Asterisks […]
A Letter To: The White House, Local Governments, the American Academy of Religion/ Society of Biblical Literature, and the Association of Theological Schools We are Black Presidents and Deans serving at schools of theology, departments of religion and African American Studies across the nation. Our co-signers include but are not limited to Black faculty and administrators […]