CEU Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020
| Author | Varela, Jessica Nogueira |
|---|---|
| Title | Narratives of Consciousness, Diaspora and Resistance: Black European Women and Non-European Black Women in Berlin, Germany |
| Summary | Through the analytical lenses of Black Feminist Epistemologies, Post-Colonial Theory and Decolonial Theory, my aim in this research is to unpack and reflect upon the different standpoints of black women (European and non-European) who live in Berlin. Since 2019, I have visited the city taking part in events organized by and for the Black European community, as well as for the general public. To do this research in Berlin, I am utilizing qualitative research methods, namely, field visits, autoethnography, participant observation, field journals and oral history. Through a reinterpretation of W.E.B Du Bois’ “double- consciousness&# x201d; I shall analyze the intersections between black European women and non-European black women understanding how both groups are positioned within Berlin’s logic of “multicu lturalismȁ d;. I want to outline and analyze which mechanisms may offer advantages or disadvantages to these two groups of black women depending on which differences (class, citizenship rights, sexuality, gender, age, nationality, languages spoken, familial relations, migration history and religion) may or may not intersect under given circumstances. I understand the concept of consciousness serves as a metaphor for understanding the political and collective implications of being gendered and racialized as Black women in the West. I argue that the othering caused by racism and sexism affects Black women differently than it would affect other groups, especially non-European Black women migrants that may have more limited access to networks of support. I conclude that Black women’s self-definition is the first step in reclaiming consciousness against different forms of discrimination, and that Black women (European and non-European) create a variety of strategies to respond to how they are positioned. Finally, through this research I wish to contribute to the ongoing dialogue between Black Feminism and Feminist approaches to Decolonial and Post-Colonial theories. I hope to add to the growing body of scholarship that engages with creative strategies of resistance designed by Black women, mapping their narratives of counter discourse. Key words: Black women, double-consciousness, autoethnography, Berlin, Black Europeans, Oral history narratives, migration |
| Supervisor | Jones-Gailani, Nadia |
| Department | Gender Studies MA |
| Full text | https://www.etd.ceu.edu/2020/nogueira_jessica.pdf |
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