What about me?

I have been interested in Otherness for a long time and it is very naturally that my studies have focused on the Other and on the Self. Among the subjects I study, one can find African American literature, the construction of Black masculinities, the intersection of Blackness and sexualities, and so on. Accordingly, Black identities are at the epicenter of my research activities.
My research is inter- and transdisciplinary. Therefore, it does not focus on only one element but seeks to seize as many items that constitute the subjects. Jump to my Research activities to know more about the subjects I study.
In addition to Black Identities, I am also interested in subjects related to the Humanities in general and I appreciate tools/disciplines such as philosophy, sociology, cinema, popular cultures, and many other topics.

What is my research?

African American male identities are the focus of my research. My observation focuses on how these masculinities are perceived, received, sidelined or respected within different social groups in the US. The multiple forms of oppression suffered by these individuals raise questions about their place in US society, since their identities lie at the intersection of the claims of several minority groups, which may be opposed to one another. The representations of these individuals can be problematic insofar as they do not necessarily include the entirety of their being. It is in this sense that I analyze the different politics of representations of Black LGBTQ+ masculinities through various media and also by considering the ways cultural, sociological and identity elements may transpire.

Hip Hop and Popular Culture?

Hip hop culture and its associated elements (rap, music videos and stage performances, clothing, graffiti and break-dancing) have been symbolic of Black urban communities in the US since the 1970s-1980s. These underprivileged neighborhoods, the “ghettos” or “inner cities,” remain fertile territories from which the political, cultural and social ideas conveyed by hip hop originate. The geographical, social, political, intellectual, and cultural environment produced a unique culture that is far from being monolithic with perpetually moving elements. Art has been important in this matter and it cannot be detached from other forms of popular cultures as they are the foundations of African American identities. Thus, the representations of Black men in these forms of arts are relevant to the construction of these individuals, both within their communities, but also with regards to the dominant US society.