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Transcending Blackness
Analyzing representations of multiracial figures in popular culture, Ralina L. Joseph identifies two widespread stereotypes of mixed-race African Americans: those of the new millennium mulattas and the exceptional multiracials.
249 pages, ebook
First published November 1, 2012
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
November 11, 2019
An incisive, direct, and essential contribution to critical mixed-race studies.
February 9, 2017
Three and three-quarters.
Joseph's main thesis, that representations of multiracial women in popular culture have been limited to the "tragic mulatta" and the "multiracial superhero", and therefore diminish or negate blackness, is valid and convincingly argued. Joseph's analysis spans film, television, media, politics, history, cultural studies, and literature. She articulately explores each realm, though the thesis is at times over-aggressively pursued through some media, especially those with fictional content (e.g., The L Word, Mixing Nia). In these, some of the tragedy of the "tragic mulatta" can likely be attributed to factors like alternative character limitations, scripting, sub-par dialog or writing, and can be better understood though alternative lenses. Nonetheless, Joseph's main thesis remains pertinent. Unfortunately, heightened racial tensions, and the advent of the Black Lives Matter movement in the 2015-and-forward United States, only serve to reify Joseph's argument: the idealized post-racial United States is a fallacy. This text is as relevant as ever.
Joseph's main thesis, that representations of multiracial women in popular culture have been limited to the "tragic mulatta" and the "multiracial superhero", and therefore diminish or negate blackness, is valid and convincingly argued. Joseph's analysis spans film, television, media, politics, history, cultural studies, and literature. She articulately explores each realm, though the thesis is at times over-aggressively pursued through some media, especially those with fictional content (e.g., The L Word, Mixing Nia). In these, some of the tragedy of the "tragic mulatta" can likely be attributed to factors like alternative character limitations, scripting, sub-par dialog or writing, and can be better understood though alternative lenses. Nonetheless, Joseph's main thesis remains pertinent. Unfortunately, heightened racial tensions, and the advent of the Black Lives Matter movement in the 2015-and-forward United States, only serve to reify Joseph's argument: the idealized post-racial United States is a fallacy. This text is as relevant as ever.
June 1, 2013
Discovering people organizing around mixed race identity when she went to college, Joseph threw herself into it, happy to have people who understood her. As her academic career continued, however, she began to notice how multiracial organizations, aims, and identities were being used to denigrate blackness. She posits two types of multiracial characters for society's narrative: the new millennium tragic mulatta and the transcendental multiracial, then breaks it down for us personally and through looking at four popular culture texts. She explicity illustrates how race and gender are tied into this (as with everything) and offers an incise critique of post-feminism and post-race positions.
Challenging, insightful, academic with heart.
Challenging, insightful, academic with heart.
September 9, 2013
Immensely engaging and informative. I disagree with some of her analyses of Bette Porter from The L-Word but was inspired to do more of my own research and writing on this character construction.
July 22, 2013
Quite possibly the best book I've read on multiracial black feminine idenitity to date!
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August 26, 2013305.805 J835 2013
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews