The Proclamation of Charles H. Long in the Time of Black Lives Matter,Standing Rock,and COVID-19 |
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Authors: | Elana Jefferson-Tatum PhD |
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Institution: | Tufts University, Massachusetts |
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Abstract: | Revisiting Charles H. Long's 1991 proclamation of a modern crisis of materiality, this essay examines Long's theorization of the fetish-commodity legacies, that recreated African persons into objects and commodities, as a means of understanding our present tripartite pandemic of systemic racism, environmental destruction, and COVID-19. Examining the period of, what Long elsewhere terms, the “second creation,” I interrogate what this crisis means for the study of religion and for our society today. Building on Long's conception of “soul stuff” and yet moving beyond notions of human exceptionalism, I argue that to move beyond fetish and colonial legacies and realize a “third creation” (or, in other words, a (re-)re-creation), both scholars and the public must craft a new materialism that honors the ontological reality and value of all existence. |
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Keywords: | Black Lives Matter Charles H Long commodity COVID-19 environment fetish material religion materiality new materialism racism |
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