On Cuddling: Loved to Death in the Racial Embrace (Vagabonds)

by Phanuel Antwi

'An urgent and elegant text…excavating the many meanings of cuddling under racial capitalism. Antwi's writing is lyrical and powerful; the way he harnesses epistemology and polysemy to build both dancing prose and crucial political analysis, is revelatory.' Sophie K Rosa, author of Radical Intimacy 'A necessary book about holding, being held and the hold(s) of the past. Playful, vulnerable, ever acute – Antwi gets down with the funk of language, history, and bodies to make fugitive sense of modernity as anti-Black grammar and embrace.' Nadine Attewell, scholar of intimacy, empire, and diasporic life From the terrifying embrace of the slave ship's hold to the racist encoding of 'cuddly' toys, On Cuddling is a unique combination of essay and poetry that contends with how racial violence is enacted through intimacy. Informed by Black feminist and queer poetics, Phanuel Antwi focuses his lens on the suffering of Black people at the hands of state violence and racial capitalism. As radical movements grow to advance Black liberation, so too must our ways of understanding how racial capitalism embraces us all. Antwi turns to cuddling, an act we imagine as devoid of violence, and explores it as a tense power transfer point. Through archival documents and multiple genres of writing, it becomes clear that the racial violence of the state and economy has always been about the (mis)management of intimacies, and we should face it with resistance and solidarity. Phanuel Antwi is Canada Research Chair in Black Arts and Epistemologies. He is an artist, teacher, and organizer concerned with race, poetics, movements, intimacy, and struggle. He works with text, dance, film, and photography to intervene in artistic, academic, and public spaces. He is a curator, activist, and associate professor at the University of British Columbia.

Genres: Nonfiction

200 pages, Paperback

Published November 30, 2023

Reviews

[Sally Elhennawy · Rating 5 out of 5]

The absolute only book that could make me consider reading theory over winter break, this book is an utter gift (pun intended, Sam and I both got each other this book for xmas hehe) This was one of the most exhilarating, astute, and lyrical works of critical theory I’ve ever encountered; Phanuel Antwi is a magician with words, and I gasped out loud many times while reading it. I am deeply inspired by the way that language is invoked, historicized, and ingeniously repurposed throughout the book; the beautiful melding of poetry, political urgency, and revelatory theoretical maneuvers will continue to resonate with me for a long time to come.

[Annabelle Berthiaume · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is something in cuteness that simultaneously provokes, both a disarming and dotting affection, as well as a desire to crush or throttle. Recognizing this contradictory impulse allows me to underline how sometimes care can enable violence, or how violence can stem from love, or how violence can emerge from a genuine impulse to become a savior. Captivity and comfort are often strange bedfellows. - p.123.

[Srt · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book explores what it means to cuddled by systems, what it means to feel powerful, catastropchic, and genocidal embrace, and coerced intimacy for populations states deem "unwanted".

It discusses the ways Black people are held hostage through "cuddly" means, e.g. state loans with high interest rates.

There is a lot more discussed in the book around the idea of being cuddled to death, a lot to process.

One specific thing I really liked about this book is that even though the author is an academic, the writing style feels more personal, experimental even.

[Patty · Rating 4 out of 5]

On Cuddling explores the politics of intimacy and researches and proposes cuddling as a space, a gesture, a rythm a weapon against black bodies and razialised people, showing the double edge sword of a system that favours some through killings and use of others. Beautifjlly written, full of insightful and relevant sites, this book is a hard but rich read. Very much recommend.

[Grace · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the most insightful books I've read all year. I cannot suggest more if interested in feeling/thinking binaries and conceptualized forms of care

[Ys Nerdy · Rating 4 out of 5]

this does not help my perception as a pretentious guy but the book is really well written and raises very interesting ideas. I am definitely not the target audience and the writing was a bit dense at times (for me) but I would love to revisit this sometime later and make sure I fully comprehend the ideas.

[Michaela Y-M · Rating 5 out of 5]

A powerful meditation on the messiness of the embrace.

[Nick Watts · Rating 5 out of 5]

Poetry for the 21st century. Antwi is bold. Witty. With a touch of sarcasm that I can appreciate. His relatable voice will resonate with all those of us that are PoC and those that are not. Anti colonialist views without being pushy. A new age Fanon.