Knowledge Production Through the Eyes of bell hooks

We continue our exploration into the methodological contributions of African descended women. This post is about the knowledge production of bell hooks. For those African descended women who are PhD holders, many of us have varied stories of the ways knowledge production was shaped and encouraged through our advisors.

My own recollection is that my arguments had to be “rigorous.” While it was not fashionable to say, “You must rely upon the methods and framing of White men,” we were steered toward them, nonetheless. Each time I quoted the work of a womanist scholar, for example, the response was, “I don’t know that thinker.” I later started adding a footnote to introduce the contributions and awards of the Black thinkers that I quoted. The response to that was, “I don’t need you to do that.”

I finally gave up! What did the doctoral supervisor want? In essence, she wanted to ensure that my viva committee didn’t fail my work based on thinkers they did not know. For her, the only way to ensure this was to quote White male thinkers. As the only act of rebellion available to me, I selected Michel Foucault – at least he wasn’t a straight White male.

But, I slipped in a bit of sauce with Emilie Townes, Katie Cannon, Delores Williams, bell hooks, Hortense Spillers, Patricia Hill Collins – whoever I could find to help support my argument. But more importantly, I wanted to rely upon the concepts of people I enjoyed reading. Doing so meant I enjoyed reading and re-reading their texts, listening to their lectures, and really absorbing all the brilliance they wanted to share.

I didn’t even know I was thirsty until I began to drink from their wells of knowledge. If that sounds familiar, or even if you think it sounds odd, I invite you to click the link above and listen to the thinking of bell hooks. I don’t guarantee that you will agree with every word she utters. But I do hope you will rediscover a piece of yourself and, in so doing, begin to articulate your own sense of truth and power more freely when exposed to her thinking and others like her.

One of my friends described bell hooks as a bright comet that went blazing across our timeline. A prolific writer, she left us a tremendous legacy. Please see a few of her books listed below. We will also add a few videos to allow you to continue to enjoy her immense presence.

CL Nash, PhD (c) 2003, The Misogynoir to Mishpat Research Network

Bibliography

Feminist Theory: From Margin to Center, 2014

Killing Rage: Ending Racism, 1995

Rock My Soul: Black People and Self-Esteem, 2003

Teaching Critical Thinking Practical Wisdom (Bell Hooks Teaching Trilogy), 2010

Teaching to Transgress: Education as the Practice of Freedom (Harvest in Translation), 1994

The Will to Change: Men, Masculinity, and Love, 2004