Christen A. Smith is an
associate professor
Associate professor is an academic title with two principal meanings: in the North American system and that of the ''Commonwealth system''.
Overview
In the ''North American system'', used in the United States and many other countries, it is a ...
of
anthropology and
African and African diaspora studies at the
University of Texas at Austin, and the director of the university's Center for
Women’s and Gender Studies.
She is also the founder of
Cite Black Women.
Smith researches anti-Black
racism with a focus on police-led and state violence, and on the regions of
Brazil and the
United States. She describes herself as a
Black feminist
Black feminism is a philosophy that centers on the idea that "Black women are inherently valuable, that lack women'sliberation is a necessity not as an adjunct to somebody else's but because our need as human persons for autonomy."
Race, gen ...
and supports the
police abolition movement.
Education
Smith received a
Bachelor of Arts degree in anthropology from
Princeton University in 1999. She received a
Master of Arts in Cultural and Social Anthropology from
Stanford University
Stanford University, officially Leland Stanford Junior University, is a private research university in Stanford, California. The campus occupies , among the largest in the United States, and enrolls over 17,000 students. Stanford is consider ...
in 2003
and a
Doctor of Philosophy in the same field from Stanford University
in 2007.
''Afro-Paradise''
In 2016, Smith published a book through
University of Illinois Press titled ''Afro-Paradise: Blackness, Violence, and Performance in Brazil''. She coined the term ''Afro-Paradise'' to refer to a society that celebrates Black bodies and consumes Black culture while also sapping Black labor and killing Black people. The term was inspired by time she spent in
Salvador, Bahia
Salvador (English: ''Savior'') is a Brazilian municipality and capital city of the state of Bahia. Situated in the Zona da Mata in the Northeast Region of Brazil, Salvador is recognized throughout the country and internationally for its cuisine ...
, with Smith explaining "The state terrorizes its own citizens in order to create the fantasy of Bahia as a celebratory, romantic Black paradise: Afro-Paradise."
Bahia is the focus of the book, which is made up of five chapters.
The book was positively reviewed in the ''
Luso-Brazilian Review
The ''Luso-Brazilian Review'' is a peer-reviewed academic journal which publishes interdisciplinary scholarship on the Portuguese, Brazilian, and Lusophone African cultures, with an emphasis on literature, history, and the social sciences. Each ...
'', which suggested that the reader also research the history of Brazil as it relates to the conflict outlined in ''Afro-Paradise''. Another positive review in ''
Studies in Latin American Popular Culture
Study or studies may refer to:
General
* Education
**Higher education
* Clinical trial
* Experiment
* Observational study
* Research
* Study skills, abilities and approaches applied to learning
Other
* Study (art), a drawing or series of draw ...
'' described the format of the book, which intersperses scenes from a play by a Bahian activist group, as "highly innovative".
Cite Black Women
In 2017, Smith attended a conference at which a presenter paraphrased her book in a
PowerPoint presentation and did not
cite her. She made a
t-shirt with the words "Cite Black Women" and began wearing it to conferences, eventually making more and selling them. She continues to sell the shirts and donate the proceeds. In 2018, she started a
podcast with the same name.
Research
Smith researches anti-Black racism with a specific focus on Brazil and the United States
and on
police-led
violence and state violence.
References
External links
AFRO-PARADISE Smith's website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Smith, Christen A.
Black feminism
American anthropologists
University of Texas at Austin faculty
Princeton University alumni
Stanford University alumni
Racism researchers
Living people
Year of birth missing (living people)