Mark Anthony Neal's Blog, page 112

Division over Critical Race Theory's Meaning Has Spurred A Rise in Book Bans

'Over the past year, book bans have nearly tripled. School boards and parents unwilling to teach or even understand the importance of Critical Race Theory have expanded their censorship to include books that they consider inappropriate for their children. Shawntee Burns-Simpson, Associate Director of School Support and Outreach at the New York Public Library joins The Takeaway to discuss the harm in banning books and how it deprives children by depriving their access to all kinds of books from diverse authors. We also spoke with award-winning author and National Ambassador of Young People’s Literature Jason Reynolds about how to navigate books with complicated or difficult subject matters for young people.'

'Owned' Documentary on America's History of Racist Housing Policies

'The documentary, Owned: A Tale of Two Americas, tells the story of the racist housing policies enacted by the federal government in post-World War II America, and how those decisions set the country on a path to the inequitable and segregated neighborhoods that exist in many of our cities today. Emmy-award winning director Giorgio Angelini is with All Of It  to speak about the film and the state of housing inequity in the United States. "Owned: A Tale of Two Americas," debuts on PBS.'

Mohamad Amer Meziane /// An Ecological and Racial History of Secularization

'In May 2021, Mohamad Amer Meziane published his first book, Des empires sous la terre: Histoire écologique et raciale de la sécularisation (Subterranean Empires: Ecological and Racial History of Secularization). We speak with him about the ambitious work he develops in this book, linking European secularization (and Europe's definition of what constitutes religion) with colonial extractivism from the first industrial revolution to the alteration of the world's climate.'

The Funambulist Podcast · Mohamad Amer Meziane /// An Ecological and Racial History of Secularization

Afropop Worldwide: Egypt's Living Traditions

'As Egyptians struggle to forge a new, post-revolution identity, some will look to traditions. The country is rich in indigenous culture from the amorous odes of desert Bedouins to the keening boom and blare of a Zeffa wedding procession. New Cairo venues now present Nubian music, ancient sounds from the Delta and Suez regions, and even the music of the zar healing ritual—elevating these forms above touristic fare found on Nile Cruises and in old Cairo. This Hip Deep edition, rich with recordings made in the field, offers a sonic map of Egypt’s traditional life, culminating in the ecstasy of a Sufi saint celebration—a mouled.'

Afropop Worldwide · Egypt's Living Traditions

The Limits with Jay Williams: Brian Flores on Taking a Stand Against the NFL

'Brian Flores is not messing around. The former Miami Dolphins head coach was fired last month, and had his eyes set on the top job with the New York Giants. But a misdirected text from New England Patriots general manager Bill Belichick convinced Flores, who is Black and Latino, that the hiring process was rigged against him, and that race was a major factor. He responded to the NFL by filing a class-action lawsuit on Tuesday. He was one of only three Black head coaches in the NFL at the time of his firing, in a league that has a majority of Black players. The lawsuit accuses the league of systemic racism and discriminatory hiring practices. It's made for a whirlwind 48 hours for Flores, who did not come to the decision to take legal action lightly. And it's arguably a louder stand than when Colin Kaepernick took his knee and paid the price. In this episode of The Limits, host Jay Williams sits down with Flores to talk about the change he hopes to inspire in the NFL, and the sacrifices he's willing to make to see that change take flight.'

WRITING HOME | American Voices from the Caribbean: “more joy” | episode 05 with Edwidge Danticat

“What would goodness be like? What would more joy be like?” – Edwidge Danticat

'Host Tami Navarro and Kaiama L. Glover connect with the illustrious Haitian-African-American author Edwidge Danticat. In this conversation, the three grapple with how they are emotionally processing the pandemic through writing and reading literature. Edwidge speaks on whether literature survives on suffering, her newfound quest to find goodness within her work, and whether she’s guilty of being a “serial killer of her characters.” As Edwidge discusses the precarity of writing at home during the pandemic, she reveals how she navigates her toughest critics: her daughters.'

Digging into 'Dilla Time,' and the Legacy of a Rhythm Pioneer

' Jazz United digs deep into the trailblazing rhythm legacy of hip-hop producer J Dilla (James Yancey) — in conversation with Dan Charnas, author of an essential new book, Dilla Time.'

Beyond Black History Month Podcast: Black Hair: Billion Dollar Industry, Few Black Owners

'In episode, not only does host Femi Redwood explores the history of hair care, but also takes a look back at the life and legacy of the woman who helped the entire race realize it’s worth: Madam CJ Walker, as well as the current state of the industry she arguably started.'

Conversations in Atlantic Theory • Yomaira Figueroa-Vásquez on Decolonizing Diasporas: Radical Mappings of Afro-Atlantic Literature

'The episode of Conversations in Atlantic Theory features Yomaira Figueroa-Vasquez, who teaches in the Department of English at Michigan State University in Lansing, Michigan. She publishes widely in Afro-Atlantic studies with particular emphasis on hispanophone Africa and Americas, as well as co-curating with Jessica Marie Johnson the digital project-collective Electric Marronage. We discuss her book Decolonizing Diasporas: Radical Mappings of Afro-Atlantic Literature, which was published in late 2020 by Northwestern University Press and was the winner of the MLA prize in United States Latina and Latino and Chicana and Chicano Literary and Cultural Studies.'

Left of Black S12 · E10 | Confronting Misogynoir in Digital Spaces with Dr. Moya Bailey

Dr. Moya Bailey, Associate Professor in the Department of Communication Studies at Northwestern University, was the first to pen the term "misogynoir" in 2010 as a means of giving a name to the anti-Black misogyny that she observed on the web and in broader society. Yet Black women have always found ways to push back against harmful stereotypes to demonstrate, and celebrate, their full humanity. In this episode of Left of Black, Dr. Bailey joins host and Duke University Professor Mark Anthony Neal to discuss her book, Misogynoir Transformed: Black Women’s Digital Resistance, which highlights the creativity and resilience of queer and trans Black women in building community online.