New Books in Critical Theory Patrice D. Douglass, "Engendering Blackness: Slavery and the Ontology of Sexual Violence" (Stanford UP, 2025)
Aug 29, 2025
Patrice D. Douglass, assistant professor at UC Berkeley, dives into the intertwined nature of sexual violence and racial slavery in her groundbreaking work. She argues that these historical traumas shape contemporary Black identity in ways often overlooked. Douglass challenges conventional feminist theories, emphasizing the necessity of revising narratives around Blackness. The discussion spans from the complexities of Black feminist historiography to the enduring legacies of slavery, urging listeners to confront difficult truths about memory, identity, and the ongoing impact of historical violence.
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Sexual Violence Is Central To Slavery
- Patrice D. Douglass found pervasive sexual violence in the slave archive and made it the core of her study.
- She argues sexual violence is essential to understanding slavery's structure and present consequences.
From Prison Abolition To Archive Discovery
- Douglass intended to study prison abolition but found the archive led her to sexual violence and slavery.
- That discovery shifted her dissertation and eventually produced Engendering Blackness.
Blackness Is Produced Through Violation
- Engendering Blackness claims Blackness is produced through sexual violence rather than merely acted upon.
- Douglass frames sexual violence as constitutive of Blackness's possibility and impossibility.
