Progressive contemporary discussions about masculinity typically call for a reframing of the notion. Even the project that this article belongs to has the key aim to redefine masculinities. The conversation typically centres around two phrases–“toxic masculinity”, which has to do with men reinforcing conventional harmful gender norms that affect society negatively, and “a crisis of…
Goldilocks Syndrome – A creative nonfiction essay about decolonisation
I’m delighted to have a creative nonfiction essay about decolonisation in the spring issue of World Literature Today titled Goldilock Syndrome. The issue commemorates the centennial of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre but also emphasizes the current state of black multicultural vitality in the 21st century, anchored in the US but rippling out on a…
Ecofeminist values in Dalai Lama’s and Greta Thunberg’s zoom conversation
In The Death of Nature, published in 1980, ecofeminist philosopher Carolyn Merchant wrote, with foresight and exactitude, of how natural ecosystems built on interdependence and reciprocity were turned into mechanistic, economic resources to be exploited by men. It is, for once, suitable to use the word men rather than humans as the book grapples with…
Beauty and nonconformity
The Cooper Gallery in Scotland has launched a major five-chapter exhibition and event project titled The Ignorant Art School: Five Sit-ins towards Creative Emancipation and I’m delighted that I will be leading one of the sit-ins on 1 April, 2021. My event is titled “A Beauty Class: Society, Politics and Transcendence”. See below for the synopsis and…
A review of Netflix docudrama “The Social Dilemma”
There are many ways to look at the word social – it can imply human characteristics (the social animal), events (social gatherings), and civic organisation (social politics) to give some examples. In our times, the word social mosttypically has to do with digital connectivity and social networks such as Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest. Conversely, the least popular connotation…
MsAfropolitan curates “Oya’s Daughters: Connecting Black African Feminisms Around the World”
I’m thrilled to be collaborating with the Africa Centre in New York on an event titled Oya’s Daughters: Connecting Black African Feminisms Around the World. Although there are many important Black feminists conversations taking place in Africa, in the UK, in the US, in Latin America and the Caribbean, I have long craved more cross-regional…
De-centring whiteness in black liberation
Most eras end imperceptibly – and most eras also end abruptly. It may seem a contradiction that social change is both barely noticeable and drastic, but history teaches us that this frequently is the case. All of a sudden there is a shift, and long-held cultural symbols, social patterns, or value systems are no longer…
A better way to talk about oppression is as a ‘crisis of relationship’
This blog is the English version of an OpEd I wrote for EL PAÍS published 21.12.20. The original version in Spanish can be read here. Let’s begin by saying that we are living through a time of peak oppression. This fact can’t be denied. After the disastrous events of 2020, even those who may be…
My message about feminism and the environment at the UNDP’s Nature for Life Hub
It was truly an honour to be invited to share a 90-second pre-recorded message at UNDP’s Nature for Life Hub this week. I chose to speak, of course, about why feminism is essential for protecting the environment. Sharing from the press release: “On the role of women, Minna Salami, Afropolitan Blog, explained feminism is a necessary…
Sensuous Knowledge featured on Al Jazeera
Earlier this month I spoke with Malika Bilal, host of Al Jazeera’s podcast The Take, about the journeys that led to my writing Sensuous Knowledge. I hope it gives you a feeling of the book. Below is the feature as published on Al Jazeera. Why Minna Salami says Black feminist ideology is for everyone The…
Sensuous Knowledge Masterclass with Africa Writes X Arvon At Home
I’m looking forward to teaching a nonfiction masterclass at Arvon At Home in collaboration with AfricaWrites. We’ll be applying a rounded and imaginative approach to the journey. Please see below for more information via Africa Writes. Book your seat via Arvon At Home. I hope to see some of you there. Sensuous Knowledge Masterclass with…
Sensuous Knowledge references and recommended reading
“The only thing that can save the world is the reclaiming of awareness of the world. That’s what poetry does.” So said the poet Allen Ginsberg, and he was right. In addition to poetry, our awareness of the world is expanded by the arts (music, visual art, sculpting etc.) which are a kind of poetry….
Exousiance – a series of essays on love and power
I’m producing a series of essays on love and power for Emerge, a platform highlighting ways of thinking that are sowing the seeds of a new civilisation. The series are centred around Exousiance, a concept I coined in Sensuous Knowledge with the purpose to reimagine power. Exousiance interweaves the nonhuman natural world, feminist theory, mythopoetic…
Reflections of desire in lockdown
A friend called me the other day overstrung. She was worried because I’m alone in lockdown. I’m concerned and acclimatising to the new normal but I’m otherwise well, I assured her. It had not occurred to me that being alone during the lockdown was a worry in itself. Aloneness is never a problem for me…
Sensuous Knowledge audiobook narrated by Robin Miles
I’m thrilled to share that actor Robin Miles is the narrator of Sensuous Knowledge. Robin is a multiple-award-winning, grammy finalist whose impressive list of book performances include N.K. Jemisin’s “Broken Earth” trilogy, Aminatta Forna’s “Happiness”, Chimamanda Adichie’s “Half of a Yellow Sun”, several bell hooks books, Maaza Mengiste’s “The Shadow King” and Nnedi Okorafor’s “Binti”….
New questions for the world, old pleas for black feminism
A poem by the Somali-British poet, Warsan Shire, goes, “later that nighti held an atlas in my lapran my fingers across the whole worldand whisperedwhere does it hurt?it answeredeverywhereeverywhereeverywhere.” Her words piercingly describe the events of the past few weeks and months. The world hurts everywhere – every region, every nation, every river, every home…
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