This anthology, edited and introduced by Hannah Dawson, is a comprehensive collection of feminist writings from the fifteenth century to the present. It includes works by notable figures such as Christine de Pizan, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Sojourner Truth, Mary Wollstonecraft, Virginia Woolf, and contemporary writers like Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and Maya Angelou. The book covers a wide range of topics including class, capitalism, colonialism, and other forms of oppression that intersect with sexism. It highlights both well-known and lesser-anthologized thinkers, providing a rich and diverse perspective on feminist thought and history.
In this book, Minna Salami delves into the complex relationship between feminism and African identity. She argues against the populist critique that labels feminism as a Western imposition, instead highlighting the precolonial African societies that embraced principles of gender equity and collective leadership. The book aims to redefine the narratives around African feminism, emphasizing its indigenous roots and its relevance to contemporary social and political issues.
In this book, Minna Salami applies an Africa-centered feminist sensibility to issues of racism and sexism, challenging illusions about oppression and liberation. The book is a collection of essays that explore key questions about identity, history, and the world. Salami draws on feminist theory, popular culture, science, philosophy, African myths, and her personal narrative to establish a language for change and self-liberation. She argues for a balanced approach that combines emotional intelligence with intellectual skill, critiquing the dominant Europatriarchal knowledge system and advocating for decolonization and the abolition of established power structures.
Our guest today is Minna Salami, the feminist author, social critic and currently Program Chair at The New Institute. Her first book was Sensuous Knowledge: A Black Feminist Approach for Everyone, and her writing can be found in the Guardian, Project Syndicate, Al Jazeera, and The Philosopher, and many others.
In her new book, Salami explores the question Can Feminism Be African?. Drawing from feminist thought, postcolonial theory, historical insights, and African knowledge systems, Salami combines personal reflection with cultural criticism to offer a vivid and cohesive discussion about power, identity, patriarchy, imagination, and the human condition.
Joining Salami to discuss the book is Hannah Dawson, historian of ideas at King’s College London and editor of The Penguin Book of Feminist Writing.
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