Tension and Transformation
Asynchronous Session
Créolité versus Creole Exceptionalism in the “Bailasphere”: Rethinking the Portuguese Creole Verse Archive in the Indian Ocean World
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Praveen Tilakaratne
This paper is part of a larger project that re-conceptualizes the politics and aesthetics of a constellation of lyrical, musical, and dance forms known as “baila” in Sri Lanka. Baila and its sister-forms, spanning the Indian Ocean world from the Mascarenes to the Malay Archipelago, come together to form a “bailasphere,” that aesthetically bears witness to histories of European colonization, slavery, and creolization, in ways markedly different to neighboring mainland spaces in Asia and Africa. The focus of this paper is the archive of Indo-Portuguese creole verse, used by scholars to historically authenticate and genealogize baila, tracing its origins back to the Portuguese who colonized and settled in Sri Lanka in the 16th-17th centuries, and the African slaves they brought to the island. I argue that much of this scholarship, being haunted by pseudo-scientific, Eurocentric, and colonialist ideas about human progress, racial difference, and linguistic evolution, repeats tropes of “creole exceptionalism.” Through such tropes, baila is presented as a fossilized artform; a corruption of “purer” forms found on the European, African, and Asian mainlands; and an ethno-racially limited form of expression. To reject this framing, I critically engage with the aesthetics and politics of créolité, a discourse stemming from the Francophone Caribbean context. If créolité allows for a reconceptualization of baila and Indo-Portuguese verse that rejects tropes of derivativeness and lack, baila in turn complements the aspirations of créolité to establish modes of relationality beyond national and cultural mandates, through which an aesthetic space for the human can be forged.
Reproductive Rights in Hip-Hop View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Hailey Colpitts
Reproductive healthcare has been utilized for centuries- some would argue since the beginning of time. In hip-hop specifically, reproductive justice is often treated as heavy and serious but of a necessary importance. In one analysis of hip-hop music, researchers discovered that there were not many negative attitudes towards abortion in the music, with 28 of 101 (~28%) having a negative connotation attached to the concept in a song (Premkumar et al.). This follows statistics regarding abortion across the country, with ~64% of people in the United States having a neutral or positive view of the topic (PRRI Staff). The reason that the topic has sprung up in music again in recent years is due to the fact that Roe v Wade, the landmark civil rights decision granting citizens of the United States the right to abortion and other forms of reproductive healthcare, was overturned by the Supreme Court of the United States in 2022 (Harshaw). The right to reproductive healthcare is especially important for Black women and it was, in fact, the Black woman DJ Kool Herc, that is credited with creating hip-hop. It fits then, that Black women are growing in numbers as rappers and specifically, as outspoken rappers who support the right to have an abortion. The end of this paper includes a lyrical analysis of three songs that are written and performed by women where the songs discuss reproductive rights.
Plugged in and Disconnected: The Influence of the Digital on Community and Identity
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Christa Menninger
Modern life has altered how communities function, with digital and suburban landscapes contributing to declining social interaction. Unlike historical communities, where members routinely engaged in shared spaces and acknowledged one another, contemporary society often isolates individuals, even in densely populated areas. Scholars like Jane Jacobs and Ray Oldenburg emphasized the importance of social spaces in fostering belonging, while Sherry Turkle argues that our sense of self emerges through conversation and relationships. Identity was co-constructed, shaped by reciprocal human engagement. At the same time, digital communication connects individuals across vast distances but does not necessarily cultivate the recognition and continuity that are necessary for community. As Mark Poster suggests, digital engagement places us in a vast global network. But this does not equate to genuine community. This study interrogates the tension between groups and communities, considering how digital platforms and transient attachment often fail to provide stability and accountability. By examining the implications of identity formation and community, this research engages with themes of globalization, human affiliation, and the shifting nature of civic and cultural participation. Ultimately, it explores whether we can sustain meaningful communities in a world where both physical and digital interactions are increasingly transient, and what the consequences may be for human connection and belonging.
Constructing a Positive Public Image in a Post-election Speech: A Study of Mahamadu Bawumia's Concession
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Rachel G. A. Thompson
This study explores how political leaders use language to construct a positive public image, specifically in the context of electoral defeat, with a focus on Dr Mahamudu Bawumia’s concession speech after Ghana’s 2024 presidential elections. The aim is to identify how speech acts were employed to project a positive image of Bawumia, emphasizing resilience, statesmanship, and commitment to democratic values, among others. The study is driven by the critical role concession speeches play in promoting national cohesion and preserving democratic integrity, particularly in emerging democracies like Ghana. It contributes to the understanding of political communication and rhetorical strategies that shape public perception during political transitions, particularly within African democracies. The data for the study consisting of the transcribed speech sourced from www.bawumia.com was analyzed by means of qualitative methods. Using the speech act theory as a theoretical framework, the qualitative analysis shows the various performative acts embedded in the speech, including commissives, expressives, and directives. The findings reveal that Bawumia purposefully used language to transcend partisan divides and present himself as a leader committed to the greater good of Ghana, even in the wake of electoral defeat. Despite the limitation of focusing on a single speech, this study highlights the broader impact of speech acts in shaping public trust and democratic stability. The study concludes that concession speeches are powerful rhetorical tools for shaping public images, with implications for further research on political rhetoric in African democracies and beyond.
