“You Strike a Woman, You Strike a Rock”

Challenges in the “Good Talk” of Transnational Feminism

Authors

  • Gugu Hlongwane

Keywords:

Black feminist praxis, transnational, anti-global, Western epistemology, heterosexism, situated knowledges, dialogue

Abstract

In this article, I investigate the complexities and challenges of a Black feminist praxis that seeks to decenter Western epistemologies by interrogating definitions of transnational feminism as a radical theoretical framework. Ultimately, by privileging situated knowledges, the paper underscores the value of dialogue or “good talk” between women as they engage in anti-global movements. The article is concerned with what a discerning transnational feminism might look like in the midst of systemic racism, patriarchal normativity, and gender imperialism.

Author Biography

  • Gugu Hlongwane

    Gugu Hlongwane is an Associate Professor of English (postcolonial literatures) at Saint Mary’s University, Halifax. Her collection, Electric Fences and Other Stories, was published by Mawenzi House in 2016. She is currently working on a novel as well as a second collection of short stories. Her articles appear in Muziki: Journal of Music Research in Africa, African Identities, Journal of Black Studies, Research in African Literatures, Alternation, Journal of Postcolonial Writing, Studies in Canadian Literature, Ariel: A Review of International English Literature, Postcolonial Text,and the Journal of Literary Studies

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Published

2026-08-05

Issue

Section

AMI Working Papers