Tag Archives: racism

Pratchett Responds to Racist Politics

By Robin Bates | Published: August 4, 2020

Terry Pratchett’s “Feet of Clay” argues humorously for diversity, immigration, and responsible governance.

Posted in Uncategorized | Also tagged , , , , , | Comments closed

The Glory of the Coming of the Lord

By Robin Bates | Published: July 4, 2020

“The Battle of the Hymn of the Republic” is one of the most influential set of lyrics in American history–for good and for bad.

Posted in Uncategorized | Also tagged , , , | Comments closed

I Am a Part of You and You of Me

By Robin Bates | Published: June 29, 2020

Langston Hughes provides an important and humane voice at this point in time.

Posted in Uncategorized | Also tagged , , | Comments closed

Sartre Captures White Privilege

By Robin Bates | Published: June 4, 2020

Sartre’s “Respectful Prostitute” captures many of the race dynamics of our current situation.

Posted in Uncategorized | Also tagged , , , | Comments closed

Achebe vs. Trump’s Heart of Darkness

By Robin Bates | Published: June 2, 2020

50 years ago, black protesters would have been seen as Conrad sees Africans in “Heart of Darkness,” an undifferentiated mass. Achebe helped change that.

Posted in Uncategorized | Also tagged , , , , , , , | Comments closed

In Aeneid, It’s the Wives Who Riot

By Robin Bates | Published: May 31, 2020

The riots in the wake of George Floyd’s death recall for me the wives rioting in the Aeneid–another neglected and long-suffering group who are fed up.

Posted in Uncategorized | Also tagged , , , , | Comments closed

Primal Hatred of Coyotes & Blacks

By Robin Bates | Published: May 12, 2020

In reflecting upon primal race hatred, I find a parallel hatred–of coyotes–in Kingsolver’s novel “Prodigal Summer.”

Posted in Uncategorized | Also tagged , , , | Comments closed

Iago, White Supremacist

By Robin Bates | Published: March 30, 2020

To understand Iago’s motivations, think status anxiety–the fear of losing cultural and social dominance over “the Other.”

Posted in Uncategorized | Also tagged , , , | Comments closed

How Literature Saved Richard Wright

By Robin Bates | Published: February 10, 2020

In his memoir, Richard Wright describes how literature gave him a framework and spurred him to action in the segregated south.

Posted in Uncategorized | Also tagged , , , | Comments closed