Black Feminism and the Polycrisis: Configuring a Novel Solution Space Through Intersectional Methodology
How can we use the unique insights and intersectional methods of Black feminism to respond to the complexities of the contemporary polycrisis?
About
Polycrisis is the word being used to diagnose some of the most important global concerns of our times. The Financial Times designated 2022 “the year of the polycrisis,” and defined polycrisis as the “collective term for interlocking and simultaneous crises of an environmental, geopolitical and economic nature.” While the diagnosis is certainly apt, much of the current analysis of the solution space focuses too narrowly on the consequences of the polycrisis while overlooking the systemic reasons that fuel it in the first place. There is a need for critical interventions and expanded views.
Black feminism has developed tools such as intersectionality which illuminate our world and offer new ways of co-existence. Intersectionality involves thinking about interlocking domains of power - and the way out of polycrisis requires such a multi-perspectival tool that travels in the complexity of relational patterns and systems. In this project, we aim to extend the kaleidoscopic toolbox of Black feminism by spelling out a heuristics for a novel solution space to the polycrisis.
By drawing on intersectional models, we bring a novel “polycritical” and “epistemically polyamorous” approach to the polycrisis. We will work along three dimensions: (1) develop intersectional theory and praxis including Global South perspectives, (2) formulate critical arguments about the polycrisis and its relationship to Europatriarchal systems of domination, and (3) offer concrete, imaginative visions for a better future based on applications of intersectional methodology to the polycrisis.
LATEST
-
event
Black Feminism & Ancestral Ways of KnowingA workshop by Cassandra Ellerbe on African diasporic and shamanic practices
-
event
Talking Feminism, Talking BooksIn celebration of International Women’s Day, activists and academics from South Africa, Finland, Nigeria, the United Kingdom, Poland, the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany and the United States will discuss the feminist fiction and non-fiction books that have shaped their lives.
Akwugo Emejulu | Black Feminism and the Polycrisis | Events |
-
event
Shelf Opening with Shota GelovaniOur Fellow Shota Gelovani presents books that have shaped his lives, his thinking and his work. This is a joint event with Felix Jud Bookstore. The event is free and open to the public.
Akwugo Emejulu | Black Feminism and the Polycrisis | Events |
-
event
Reading Our Futures
–We are excited to host a workshop by our fellow Akwugo Emejulu, celebrating female visions for the future.
Akwugo Emejulu | Black Feminism and the Polycrisis | Events |
-
event
Emilia Roig on Creating New ParadigmsA Monastery Wednesday on Creating the New Paradigm: Deploying the Full Potential of the Great Transformation ushered in by Black Feminists
-
Press
Announcement “Black Feminism and the Polycrisis”THE NEW INSTITUTE is proud to announce the launch of a pioneering program titled “Black Feminism and the Polycrisis: Configuring a Novel Solution Space Through Intersectional Methodology,” running until June 2024.
Minna Salami | Kathryn Sophia Belle | Akwugo Emejulu | Pumla Dineo Gqola | Abosede Priscilla Ipadeola | Maha Marouan | Adenike Titilope Oladosu | Black Feminism and the Polycrisis |
-
event
Abosede Ipadeola on the Debacle of the Social PactA Monastery Lecture on finding a new theoretical framework for Egalitarian Justice.
Abosede Priscilla Ipadeola | Black Feminism and the Polycrisis | Events |
-
event
Akwugo Emejulu on Moral Subjects in White SpacesA Monastery Lecture about the Impossibilities of Intersectional Solidarity.
Akwugo Emejulu | Black Feminism and the Polycrisis | Events |
-
news
Minna Salami joins the Club of RomeTHE NEW INSTITUTE Program Chair Minna Salami contributes to the Club of Rome with a distinctive lens from Black feminism and African identity, empowering their battle against global crises.
PROGRAM CHAIR
PROGRAM CHAIR
Minna Salami
Feminist Author and Social Critic
Minna is a Nigerian-Finnish and Swedish feminist author and social critic. Her research interests include the politics of knowledge production, the progression of feminist theory, and contemporary African thought. Her debut book Sensuous Knowledge has been translated into multiple languages. Minna’s academic background is in Political Science and Gender Studies with a specialization in feminist theory from SOAS, University of London. She sits on the council of The Royal Institute of Philosophy and the boards of The African Feminist Initiative at Pennsylvania State University, The Interdisciplinary Journal for the Study of the Sahel, the Emerge network, and is an associate with Perspectiva.
GET INVOLVED
-
Information
For questions regarding the program please contact Yasmin Guillén Lange at yasmin.guillen-lange@thenew.institute
-
Stay Informed
To stay informed about outcomes and new developments, please subscribe to our Newsletter.
Curatorial Note
Curatorial Note
Marcia Kure, "Shifters and Monarchs. The Series X" (2018). Collage and 23 Karat Gold on Arches Hot Press Watercolor paper. © The Artist. Courtesy of Susan Inglett Gallery, NYC.
Marcia Kure's artworks explore identity, memory, and cultural heritage. Her multidisciplinary practice includes drawing, painting, collage, and installation, reflecting the complexity of her transnational identity. Kure's works interrogate the legacies of colonialism and globalization, as well as the fluidity of cultural boundaries. Through the use of layered imagery and intricate compositions, the artist explores themes of displacement, hybridity, and the politics of representation. Kure incorporates diverse materials, such as found objects and traditional African textiles, to add depth to her work and imbue it with layers of meaning and texture. The juxtaposition of disparate elements invites viewers to engage with the complexities of identity formation in an increasingly interconnected world. Kure's art is distinguished by its sense of urgency and activism, as she addresses issues of social justice and human rights. Her works frequently serve as poignant reflections on the ongoing struggles for liberation and equality, both in Africa and beyond.
PROGRAMS 2023/24
-
Governing the Planetary Commons
How are the planetary commons to be governed in an ecologically responsible, just, democratic, and resilient way?
The program "Governing the Planetary Commons: a Focus on the Amazon" examines how to responsibly and sustainably govern crucial Earth systems, using the Amazon Rainforest as an example, and explores different governance models that could work in an ecologically sound, democratic, and resilient way. -
Depolarizing Public Debates
How can we depolarize public debates on socio-ecological transformations?
The aim of the program „Depolarizing Public Debates“ is to develop tools for reducing polarization in public discussions about socio-ecological issues, engaging with practitioners from journalism, digital platforms, and civil society. -
Conceptions of Human Flourishing
How does a non-materialist conception of human flourishing inform the reformulation of the SDGs in 2030?
The program „Conceptions of Human Flourishing” explores how different cultures conceive of human flourishing, how the current materialist approach may limit it, and how to redesign the SDGs with a broader, more inclusive view of what human flourishing means. -
Reclaiming Common Wealth
What are pathways, processes and institutional designs for the generation and governance of land commons?
The program "Reclaiming Common Wealth" explores pathways, processes, and institutional designs for the generation and governance of land commons, aiming to address discontents arising from institutional investments in land, assess theories and concepts of property and value, and establish a repository of the law and institutional design of land commons, with a focus on Commons Public Partnerships.