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Collins cites participation in the abolitionist movement, anti-lynching campaigns of the early 20th century, and recent civil rights work in the South, where Black women have not only worked on behalf of themselves but for all African-Americans (Collins, p. 218). The overarching theme, however is the belief that teaching people how to be self-reliant fosters empowerment. Collins cites Angela Davis (1989), who wrote that activism was designed to empower everyone: "We must climb in such a way as to guarantee that all our sisters, regardless of social class, and indeed all of our brothers climb with us" (Collins, p. 219).
Collins writes "epistemology points to the ways in which power relations shape who is believed and why" (Collins, p. 251). She charges that many Black women are not viewed as credible witnesses for their own experiences (Collins, p. 254) and that the ideas of a relatively select few are safe and respected from the majority perspective. Collins argues that much Black feminist thought is borne, understandably, from lived experience and hopes that collective thought can serve "as one specific social location for examining points of connection" (Collins, p. 270). The goal of understanding these points of connection is to foster the paradigm shift necessary to change the balance of power, tilted unfavorably according to...
She wanted to make her work accessible to Black women and accomplished this through multiple interviews and primary source historical documents. Collins wanted to give voice to her own thoughts and in doing so gave voice to Black women past and present. Eschle (2001) argues that Collins' work is essential reading, not just for Black women, but for everyone as a "profound reminder of the political responsibility of those who produce privileged knowledge about the world" (p. 486).
Solidarity created via black feminist discourse is empowering. The acknowledgment of a collective black female identity can lead African-American women to value rather than shun their identities and to embrace the fullness of their culture. Psychological empowerment is a precursor to economic and political empowerment. Empowerment ultimately does not depend on conformity to the predominant social institutions. Another reason why it is important to sustain black feminist thought is
Power, Inequality and Conflict The two theorists used in this paper to explore the theme of “power, inequality and conflict” are W. E. B. Du Bois and Patricia Hill Collins. The theme is one that gets to the heart of the struggle within the American Experience. The great attraction of the American Dream has always been that people are created equal and are endowed with a natural right to pursue life,
(Frazer 8) to this end she develops the categories of "affirmation" and "transformation." In understanding Frazer's view it is imperative to bear in mind that older regimes of theory cannot achieve the synthesis that she is looking for and that new and more creative modes of political and social theory are necessary. In essence what Fraser suggests is that in order to overcome this antimony between redistribution and recognition and
Hate Radio," Patricia J. Williams comments on the growing trend of "anything goes" talk radio, led by radio personalities who seem determined to anger as many people as possible, and who cater to an audience of people empowered to say almost anything, no matter how prejudiced or ill-informed about other groups of people. She describes how she first became aware of this type of media broadcast. In 1991 she accidentally
Feminist Critique The primary distinction between the perspectives of Patricia Hill Collins and Esther Chow on feminism and gender consciousness stems from their diverse interpretations of the influence of culture. Chow assumes a near apologist stance in her justifications for the slow uptake of feminist theory by Asian-American women. Chow cites the many barriers to the gender consciousness and ability to organize around women's issues, and suggests that they have been
Legacy of Conquest: The Unbroken Past of the American West by Patricia Nelson Limerick. Specifically it will contain a book review of the book. "The Legacy of Conquest" is a new look at the settling of the American West, from the 19th century to the Reagan era. She has a new take on how the West was settled, and does not look at it as a frontier, as most