Even before we get to introduce ourselves by name, our hair has already started to tell stories about who we are, where we are from and where we are at. Our hair is tangled up in the interplay of race, gender, class, nationality, sexuality, power and beauty. It is an avid storyteller and a consummate performer - whether we like it or not. If our hair could talk, what stories would it tell about us?

(Dis)entangled: Black Hair, Race, and Identity (Coronet, 2025) delves into the intricate and deeply personal relationship between Black individuals and their hair, exploring - through a collection of diverse experiences - the profound significance of hair as a conduit for self-expression, resilience, and collective memory within communities around the world. Each story illuminates the complex tapestry of experiences surrounding Black hair, shedding light on its intersections with gender, race and identity.
Through the voices of those who have walked this textured path, the book ultimately seeks to empower readers to embrace their own unique journey of self-discovery, one strand at a time.

This interview was conducted by Dr. Hannah Pool, a senior researcher at the Max Planck Institute for the Studies of Societies. Her research focuses on human mobilities and her new book has just been published (2025, Oxford University Press).

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Disentangled, While Black Hair Can't Be Just Hair

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