Scan barcode
sssummer's review against another edition
3.0
It was a good group of different feminists, and I'm now introduced to activists whose work I want to know more about. And there are a lot of great thoughts in here, I ended up underlining a lot.
But this book is not great if you are not already very familiar with a lot of academic feminist theory. Which is a shame, because a few teaks such as including little definition blurbs or footnotes with little summaries of certain theories, people, or events being referenced would have gone really far. Since this is conversation style (which I did otherwise appreciate), it follows the natural ebbs and flows of a conversation between two people in the know, but they do nothing to compensate for gaps in conversation.
My biggest qualm, however, is with the editors of the book. It feels like a lot of the questions they asked the feminists were outright pandering to the interviewee or extremely leading. The introduction itself was also clear that the editors had "an agenda" as the kids would call it. Which only irks me because it makes these interviews feel like a much less genuine inquiry. Also speaking of the introduction, the authors used the most pretentious words and phrasing I've ever read.
But this book is not great if you are not already very familiar with a lot of academic feminist theory. Which is a shame, because a few teaks such as including little definition blurbs or footnotes with little summaries of certain theories, people, or events being referenced would have gone really far. Since this is conversation style (which I did otherwise appreciate), it follows the natural ebbs and flows of a conversation between two people in the know, but they do nothing to compensate for gaps in conversation.
My biggest qualm, however, is with the editors of the book. It feels like a lot of the questions they asked the feminists were outright pandering to the interviewee or extremely leading. The introduction itself was also clear that the editors had "an agenda" as the kids would call it. Which only irks me because it makes these interviews feel like a much less genuine inquiry. Also speaking of the introduction, the authors used the most pretentious words and phrasing I've ever read.
half_book_and_co's review against another edition
4.0
„It’s also very important not to think you’re inventing thoseconversations for the first time; those conversations have been going back andforth forever. So why not start from recognition that those have been going on,and appreciate those voices, rather than just think you’re the first one to comealong and write about it?“ (Vron Ware)
I feel that often discussions and analysis (not rarely quite a superficial one’s) are frames as being „a first“ – the way publishing works for sure being one factor. There is a disconnect from earlier movements, theories, and discussions, and as Bhadar and Ziadah write a „wilful amnesia around issues of race and anti-racist struggle“. This book is a great resource counteracting this tendency.
In Revolutionary Feminisms Brenna Bhandar and Rafeef Ziadah interviewten feminists who have shaped in different ways movements and theorisations ofour world. Roughly separated in the themes of Diaspora/ Migration/ Empire (AvtarBrah, Gail Lewis, and Vron Ware), Colonialism/ Capitalism/ Resistance (HimaniBannerji, Gary Kinsman, Leanne Betasamosake Simpson, and Silvia Federici), and AbolitionFeminism (Ruth Wilson Gilmore, Avery F. Gordon, and Angela Y. Davis) Bhandarand Ziadah ask the interviewees about their political becoming, their experiences within different movements, theories they have related to/ critiqued/ worked on and much more.
But while I think it’s important to see different opinions and not always agree on all the details, a few aspects I’d like to point out: Federici– in an otherwise very interesting interview – suddenly goes into an unprompted rant about „children now transitioning at six years old“ and while Bhandar and Ziadahfollow up with a question on transphobia and feminism, Federici does more or less continue in that vein though she remains vague but it is never really challenged. I also found it quite glaring how in all these discussions which include a lot of different experiences, oppressive systems and practices etc, a discussion of antisemitism was very, very absent.
I feel that often discussions and analysis (not rarely quite a superficial one’s) are frames as being „a first“ – the way publishing works for sure being one factor. There is a disconnect from earlier movements, theories, and discussions, and as Bhadar and Ziadah write a „wilful amnesia around issues of race and anti-racist struggle“. This book is a great resource counteracting this tendency.
In Revolutionary Feminisms Brenna Bhandar and Rafeef Ziadah interviewten feminists who have shaped in different ways movements and theorisations ofour world. Roughly separated in the themes of Diaspora/ Migration/ Empire (AvtarBrah, Gail Lewis, and Vron Ware), Colonialism/ Capitalism/ Resistance (HimaniBannerji, Gary Kinsman, Leanne Betasamosake Simpson, and Silvia Federici), and AbolitionFeminism (Ruth Wilson Gilmore, Avery F. Gordon, and Angela Y. Davis) Bhandarand Ziadah ask the interviewees about their political becoming, their experiences within different movements, theories they have related to/ critiqued/ worked on and much more.
But while I think it’s important to see different opinions and not always agree on all the details, a few aspects I’d like to point out: Federici– in an otherwise very interesting interview – suddenly goes into an unprompted rant about „children now transitioning at six years old“ and while Bhandar and Ziadahfollow up with a question on transphobia and feminism, Federici does more or less continue in that vein though she remains vague but it is never really challenged. I also found it quite glaring how in all these discussions which include a lot of different experiences, oppressive systems and practices etc, a discussion of antisemitism was very, very absent.
dinguini's review
challenging
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
5.0
If you’ve ever wanted to sit down and have conversations with feminists who know their shit about what it’s like being on the frontlines of activism, this is the book for you. It’s a whole ass goldmine in here. Some disappointing anti-trans comments from Federici (which the editors attempt to challenge her on) but the book is set out in a way where it is easy to ‘boycott’ her chapter if need.
Content Warnings
Minor: Transphobia
More...