New Books in Critical Theory

Sabrina Strings, "The End of Love: Racism, Sexism, and the Death of Romance" (Beacon Press, 2024)

Nov 27, 2024

Sabrina Strings, a sociologist and author of "The End of Love: Racism, Sexism, and the Death of Romance," discusses how societal forces shape modern relationships. She delves into the rise of 'situationships' among men and how race and gender biases influence ideas of love and commitment. Strings critiques the portrayal of women in media, tracing the impacts of historical movements on contemporary romantic interactions. She also examines the evolution of toxic masculinity and its links to racial and economic dynamics.

37:13

Episode guests

Sabrina Strings

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Quick takeaways

Dr. Sabrina Strings argues that contemporary romantic relationships are influenced by historical narratives that reflect systemic racism and sexism pertaining to women's desirability.

The decline in traditional romantic partnerships, particularly among Black women, signals a shift away from outdated romantic ideals that often perpetuate exclusion and unrealistic expectations.

Deep dives

The Genesis of Understanding

The author explores the origins of her book, which stemmed from her personal experiences during graduate school. She reflects on the problematic interactions she encountered while dating, prompting her to analyze whether these romantic ideals were beneficial or necessary for women. This introspection led her to investigate the deeper societal influences on romantic partnerships. Ultimately, she aims to understand how historical narratives shape contemporary discourses around love and relationships.

Intro

2min

Romance Reexamined: Love, Race, and Society

11min

The Evolution of 'Gold Digger': Race, Gender, and Economic Agency

5min

Evolving Dynamics of Race and Relationships

8min

The Evolution of Pornography and Male Archetypes

6min

Exploring Masculinity, Femininity, and the Pressure of Romance

3min

More men than ever are refusing loving partnerships and commitment, and instead seeking out “situationships.” When these men deign to articulate what they are looking for in a steady partner, they’ll often rely on superficial norms of attractiveness rooted in whiteness and anti-Blackness.

Connecting the past to the present, in The End of Love: Racism, Sexism, and the Death of Romance (Beacon Press, 2024) sociologist Dr. Sabrina Strings argues that following the Civil Rights movement and the integration of women during the Second Wave Feminist movement, men aimed to hold on to their power by withholding love and commitment, a basic tenet of white supremacy and male domination, that served to manipulate all women. From pornography to hip hop, women—especially Black and “insufficiently white” women—were presented as gold diggers, props for masturbation, and side-pieces.

Using historical research, personal stories, and critical analysis, Dr. Strings argues that the result is fuccboism, the latest incarnation of toxic masculinity. This work shows that men are not innately “toxic.” Nor do they hate love, commitment, or sex. Instead, men across race have been working a new code to effectively deny loving partnerships to women who are not pliant, slim, and white as a new mode of male domination.

This interview was conducted by Dr. Miranda Melcher whose new book focuses on post-conflict military integration, understanding treaty negotiation and implementation in civil war contexts, with qualitative analysis of the Angolan and Mozambican civil wars.

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