The Black body in context
A phenomenological experience of the Black body within China
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 6030675 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Armiyaw Sulemana (0000-0002-4946-2201, Shanghai University), Ebenezer Fiifi Mensah (0000-0001-6273-9722, Ho Technical University, corresponding author), Samiratu Abdulai Moro (0009-0000-3069-286X, Independent Research), Gideon Agyeman Kwaku Duah (0000-0002-7832-5396, Department of Education, Nkyinkyim Museum) |
| Year | 2025 |
| Pages | 1-16 |
| Publication date | 2025-05-08 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | No |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | African Identities (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1472-5843 • E-ISSN: 1472-5851 |
| Publisher | Informa UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1080/14725843.2025.2501793 |
| OpenAlex | W4410211524 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 1 |
| References cited | 25 |
This article explores the constant misrepresentation and epidermalization of the Black body in non-Black dominated spaces through the lived experiences of Sulemana Armiyaw, an international PhD student from Ghana, who studied at Shanghai University, China. While acknowledging the multiplicity of Black experiences, the article argues for a recurrent pattern – what may be termed a ‘semblance with variation’ – that transpires across diverse geographies and temporalities. Through the projection of the ‘Black body’ onto individual corporeal bodies, Black people are frequently subjected to reductive and mortifying representations which creates comparable experiences of marginalization. Focusing on contemporary experiences within China, the article underscores how anti-Black preconception can manifest within distinctive cultural and ideological contexts. Employing a phenomenological approach informed by Frantz Fanon and Charles Johnson, the article underscores how the anti-Black gaze constantly fixes and objectifies the Black body as a site of horror, curiosity, or disgust. While Chinese racial discourse operates via its own cultural logics, the resultant outcomes mirror a global pattern of Black marginalization. This article ultimately highlights the transnational continuity of anti-Black racism and the prevalent symbolic burden placed on Black bodies in spaces where they are considered as ‘other.’
China · Epistemology · Political science · Sociology · China's Global Influence and Migration · Diaspora, migration, transnational identity · Gender Studies · History · Law · Migration, Ethnicity, and Economy · Philosophy
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| Unique citing works | 1 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 1 |
| Citation span | 2026 - 2026 (1) |
| Citation velocity | current |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 1 |