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Book alert: Black Scholarly Activism between the Academy and Grassroots…
“Black Scholarly Activism between the Academy and Grassroots: A Bridge for Identities and Social Justice” overview
“Black Scholarly Activism between the Academy and Grassroots: A Bridge for Identities and Social Justice” is the full title of the book written by Dr Ornette D Clennon and published 26.9.18 by Palgrave MacMillan. This seminal work serves as one of the foundational texts for the MEaP research and advocacy branch. Dr Clennon’s monograph provides the theoretical scaffolding for its endeavour to bridge the gap between high-level academic discourse and the lived realities of grassroots social justice. , 22.7.18 (28.9.08) — Academic Creative Enterprise
What does “Black Scholarly Activism between the Academy and Grassroots: A Bridge for Identities and Social Justice” explore?
The book explores the ‘invisible’ impact whiteness has on the lived ‘black’ experience in the UK. Using education as a philosophical and ethical framework, the author interrogates the vision of Black Radicalism proposed by Kehinde Andrews, exploring its potential applicability to grassroots activism. Clennon uses an interdisciplinary theoretical framework to draw together his previous writings on ‘blackness’, in effect crystallising the links between commercial (urban) blackness, the pathological structures of whiteness and institutional control. Drawing inspiration from Robbie Shilliam’s cosmologically related ‘hinterlands’ as an antidote to the nature of colonial (Eurocentric) epistemologies, the author uses the polemical chapters as gateways to theoretical discussion about the material effects of whiteness felt on the ground. This controversial and unflinching volume will be of interest to students and scholars of race studies, particularly within education, and the lived black experience.
A Core Inquiry: Deconstructing Whiteness
The book begins with a fundamental interrogation: “What is whiteness?” Dr Clennon traces the evolution of his own scholarly activism, meditating on the “invisible” yet pervasive impact that whiteness exerts on the Black British experience.
By using Education as a philosophical and ethical framework, the text examines the tension between institutional structures and community liberation.
Theoretical Frameworks and Advocacy Tools
To provide a robust basis for MEaP’s advocacy, Clennon synthesises several critical perspectives:
Black Radicalism: Interrogating Kehinde Andrews’ vision to determine its practical applicability for local activists.
Connected Histories: Drawing on Gurminder Bhambra’s historical sociology to link global colonial legacies to local struggles.
Critical Pedagogy: Implementing Freirean methods to empower the community through consciousness-raising.
Racial Capitalism: Critiquing Cedric J. Robinson’s concepts to expose how commercial “urban” blackness is often manipulated by institutional control and the pathological structures of whiteness.
The “Hinterland” as an Antidote
Inspired by Robbie Shilliam’s exploration of “hinterlands,” Clennon proposes an alternative to the atomising, Eurocentric epistemologies that often dominate the academy. The book features a series of polemical writings originally created for community partners. These serve as gateways to a “hinterland” of theoretical discussion, translating complex sociology into material tools for those fighting for justice on the ground.
The book is available on Amazon here.
Reviews: What peers say about “Black Scholarly Activism between the Academy and Grassroots: A Bridge for Identities and Social Justice”
Dr Remi Joseph-Salisbury, Leeds Beckett University, UK, says:
“This is a timely and important book that expertly combines personal narrative with nuanced theoretical analysis. Black Scholarly Activism between the Academy and Grassroots is a deeply engaging work that urges the reader to consider the possibilities and challenges facing academics who work towards social justice. Once picked up, this is a difficult book to put down: a must read”
Dr Jason Arday – University of Roehampton, UK, says:
“The book is insightful and provides a different scope on racialized discourse from a praxis perspective and its appeal to community workers provides an inclusive attempt to engage audiences outside of academia. The book also offers a very interesting point of departure particularly regarding the exploration of Community resistance in a neoliberal post-truth era. The situating of this chapter within a post-truth context and why activism is needed to disrupt this is powerful”
Resource Links
Official Publisher Page: Black Scholarly Activism between the Academy and Grassroots – Palgrave Macmillan
Author Profile & Research: Dr Ornette D Clennon at MEaP
Academic Database: Google Books Preview