Sunday, August 29, 2010

A moment of awe for cats.

For two days in a row, I've seen a young, very fit, what I would call "brindle" cat coming up the neighbor's driveway with a chipmunk in its mouth. Maybe this is common cat behavior, but I'm quite impressed. I didn't think it was actually possible to catch a chipmunk. They seem to move so much more quickly than anything else, and I've never seen a cat with one before. Well done, cat!

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

Submissions sought for edited collection on Black Motherhoods

CALL FOR PAPERS
Demeter Press is seeking submissions for an edited collection on Black Motherhoods

Editors: Karen T. Craddock, Nicole Banton and Saundra Murray Nettles

Pub Date: 2012/2013

This anthology will explore the multi-faceted expressions, experiences, constructs and contexts of black motherhood through an interdisciplinary lens. We invite submissions addressing the range of key factors that contribute to and are impacted by the notion of black mothering and black motherhood primarily through psychological, sociological, humanities and public health frameworks which include investigations of cultural, biological, socio-political, relational and historical perspectives that inform our thinking and practice as it relates to black mothers.

We specifically encourage offerings that amplify or redress black motherhood and constructs of identity, relationships, mental and physical health practice and policy, education, art/media and advocacy. Through this diverse exploration a deeper understanding and consideration about black motherhood will be expanded. This multi-disciplinary excavation of both long held and newly emergent ideologies of black mothering will allow a necessary space to examine the importance and impact of black mother(ing)(hood) in society.

A goal of this volume is to catalyze future expression, research and praxis while contributing to a variety of fields including cultural analysis, race/gender studies, and literary and art criticism. We look forward to including a range of academic writing as well as narrative essays and some creative works.

Suggested topics include but are not limited to:
identity development, psychological depression, resistance to marginalization, research and policy on reproductive rights, pregnancy, child birth and breast feeding, literary, media and artistic renderings of black motherhood, consideration of and comparison within the black Diaspora, social constructions of black motherhood and race, gender politics, personal narrative, ethnography, black mothering in diverse familial, social and professional contexts, lesbian black mothers, feminist theory, marital status and black motherhood, parenting/caretaking practices, childcare, trans-racial adoption, black adolescent mothers, role of black men, role of relationship among black women and influence on mothering, historical and contemporary treatments of black motherhood.

Submission guidelines:
Abstracts should be 250 words. Please also include a brief biography (50 words).
Deadline for abstracts is September 1, 2010
Accepted papers of 4000-5000 words (15-20 pages) will be due September 2011 and should conform to the Modern Language Association style
.
Please send submissions and inquiries directly to:
Karen T. Craddock, Ph.D. kcrad@brandeis.edu, Nicole Banton, Ph.D. nicban@ufl.edu and
Saundra Murray Nettles, Ph.D. srmurraynettles@gmail.com

Demeter Press
140 Holland St. West, PO 13022
Bradford, ON, L3Z 2Y5
http://www.demeterpress.org info@demeterpress.org

Saturday, August 21, 2010

What I think about the so-called "ground zero mosque"

I'll set aside the fact that it's not actually at ground zero. I'll also set aside the bizarre and ignorant posturing that Islam as a whole is somehow understood to be the equivalent of Nazism (I must have missed the attempted genocide of Americans?). I'll just say this: if you don't live in the neighborhood of ground zero, keep your big mouth shut. This is an issue for New Yorkers - the ones that live there, not the ones who feel like "every American is a New Yorker because of 9/11" (bullshit) - to decide without the "help" of national politicians who want to win elections.