Social Justice, Spring-Summer 1993 v20 n1-2 p104(11) What is this "black" in black popular culture?

(Rethinking Race) Stuart Hall. Abstract: The margins of postmo ern cu!ture, inc!u ing the "!ack popu!ar cu!ture, have "een an e#treme!$ pro uctive space that has intro uce an e!ement of ifference in the comp!e# strugg!e over cu!tura! hegemon$% &!ack cu!ture e#hi"its "oth the inf!uence of its 'frican heritage an the iasporic con itions in (hich it eve!ope an is a h$"ri rather than a pure form% )t is uni*ue!$ characteri+e "$ its emphasis on st$!e, music an the use of the "o $% Full Text: ,-./R)01T Socia! 2ustice 1993 ) &30)4 5)T1 ' 673ST)-48 51'T S-RT -9 :-:34T )S T1)S )4 51),1 T.-S3 T13 *uestion of "!ack popu!ar cu!ture; These moments are a!(a$s con<unctura!% The$ have their historica! specificit$= an a!though the$ a!(a$s e#hi"it simi!arities an continuities (ith the other moments in (hich (e pose a *uestion !ike this, the$ are never the same moment% 'n the com"ination of (hat is simi!ar an (hat is ifferent efines not on!$ the specificit$ of the moment, "ut the specificit$ of the *uestion, an therefore the strategies of cu!tura! po!itics (ith (hich (e attempt to intervene in popu!ar cu!ture, an the form an st$!e of cu!tura! theor$ an critici+ing that has to go a!ong (ith such an intermatch% )n his important essa$, >The 4e( ,u!tura! .o!itics of ?ifference,> ,orne! 5est (19908 19--3@) offers a genea!og$ of (hat this moment is, a genea!og$ of the present that ) fin "ri!!iant!$ concise an insightfu!% 1is genea!og$ fo!!o(s, to some e#tent, positions ) trie to out!ine in an artic!e that has "ecome some(hat notorious (1a!!, 19AA8 2B--31), "ut it a!so usefu!!$ maps the moment into an 'merican conte#t an in re!ation to the cognitive an inte!!ectua! phi!osophica! tra itions (ith (hich it engages% 'ccor ing to ,orne!, the moment, this moment, has three genera! coor inates% The first is the isp!acement of 3uropean mo e!s of high cu!ture, of 3urope as the universa! su"<ect of cu!ture, an of cu!ture itse!f in its o! 'rno! ian rea ing as the !ast refuge%%%% ) near!$ sai of scoun re!s, "ut ) (onCt sa$ (ho it is of% 't !east (e kno( (ho it (as against -cu!ture against the "ar"arians, against the peop!e ratt!ing the gates as the eath!ess prose of anarch$ f!o(e a(a$ from 'rno! Cs pen% The secon coor inate is the emergence of the 7nite States as a (or! po(er an , conse*uent!$, as the center of g!o"a! cu!tura! pro uction an circu!ation% This emergence is "oth a isp!acement an a hegemonic shift in the efinition of cu!ture -- a movement from high cu!ture to 'merican mainstream popu!ar cu!ture an its mass-cu!tura!, image-me iate , techno!ogica! forms% The thir coor inate is the eco!oni+ation of the Thir 5or! , cu!tura!!$ marke "$ the emergence of the eco!oni+e sensi"i!ities% 'n ) rea the eco!oni+ation of the Thir 5or! in 9rant+ 9anonCs sense8 ) inc!u e in it the impact of civi! rights an "!ack strugg!es on the eco!oni+ation of the min s of the peop!es of the "!ack iaspora% Det me a some *ua!ifications to that genera! picture, *ua!ifications that, in m$ vie(, make this present moment a ver$ istinctive one in (hich to ask the *uestion a"out "!ack

popu!ar cu!ture% 9irst, ) remin $ou of the am"iguities of that shift from 3urope to 'merica, since it inc!u es 'mericaCs am"iva!ent re!ationship to 3uropean high cu!ture an the am"iguit$ of 'mericaCs re!ationship to its o(n interna! ethnic hierarchies% 5estern 3urope i not have, unti! recent!$, an$ ethnicit$ at a!!% -r i nCt recogni+e it ha an$% 'merica has a!(a$s ha a series of ethnicities, an conse*uent!$, the construction of ethnic hierarchies has a!(a$s efine its cu!tura! po!itics% 'n , of course, si!ence an unackno(!e ge , the fact of 'merican popu!ar cu!ture itse!f, (hich has a!(a$s containe (ithin it, (hether si!ence or not, "!ack 'merican popu!ar vernacu!ar tra itions% )t ma$ "e har to remem"er that, (hen vie(e from outsi e the 7nite States, 'merican mainstream popu!ar cu!ture has a!(a$s invo!ve certain tra itions that cou! on!$ "e attri"ute to "!ack cu!tura! vernacu!ar tra itions% The secon *ua!ification concerns the nature of the perio of cu!tura! g!o"a!i+ation in progress no(% ) hate the term >the g!o"a! postmo ern,> so empt$ an s!i ing a signifier that it can "e taken to mean virtua!!$ an$thing $ou !ike% 'n , certain!$, "!acks are as am"iguous!$ p!ace in re!ation to postmo ernism as the$ (ere in re!ation to high mo ernism8 even (hen enu e of its (i e-3uropean, isenchante :ar#ist, 9rench inte!!ectua! provenance an sca!e o(n to a more mo est escriptive status, postmo ernism remains e#treme!$ uneven!$ eve!ope as a phenomenon in (hich the o! centerEperipheries of high mo ernit$ consistent!$ reappear% The on!$ p!aces (here one can genuine!$ e#perience the postmo ern ethnic cuisine are :anhattan an Don on, not ,a!cutta% 'n $et it is impossi"!e to refuse >the g!o"a! postmo ern> entire!$, insofar as it registers certain st$!istic shifts in (hat ) (ant to ca!! the cu!tura! ominant% 3ven if postmo ernism is not a ne( cu!tura! epoch, "ut on!$ mo ernism in the streets, that, in itse!f, represents an important shifting of the terrain of cu!ture to(ar the popu!ar--to(ar popu!ar practices, to(ar ever$ a$ practices, to(ar !oca! narratives, to(ar the ecentering of o! hierarchies an the gran narratives% This ecentering or isp!acement opens up ne( spaces of contestation an affects a momentous shift in the high cu!ture of popu!ar cu!ture re!ations, thus presenting us (ith a strategic an important opportunit$ for intervention in the popu!ar cu!tura! fie! % Thir , (e must "ear in min postmo ernismCs eep an am"iva!ent fascination (ith ifference--se#ua! ifference, cu!tura! ifference, racia! ifference, an a"ove a!!, ethnic ifference% 6uite in opposition to the "!in ness an hosti!it$ that 3uropean high cu!ture evi ence on the (ho!e to(ar ethnic ifference -- its ina"i!it$ even to speak ethnicit$ (hen it (as so manifest!$ registering its effects -- thereCs nothing that g!o"a! postmo ernism !oves "etter than a certain kin of ifference8 a touch of ethnicit$, a taste of the e#otic, as (e sa$ in 3ng!an , >a "it of the other> ((hich in the 7nite Fing om has a se#ua! as (e!! as an ethnic connotation)% :iche!e 5a!!ace (19908 39--G0) (as *uite right, in her semina! essa$ >:o ernism, .ostmo ernism, an the .ro"!em of the Hisua! in 'fro-'merican ,u!ture,> to ask (hether this reappearance of a pro!iferation of ifference, of a certain kin of ascent of the g!o"a! postmo ern, isnCt a repeat of that >no( $ou see it, no( $ou onCt> game that mo ernism once p!a$e (ith primitivism, to ask (hether it is not once again achieve at the e#pense of the vast si!encing a"out the 5estCs fascination (ith the "o ies of "!ack men an (omen of other ethnicities% 'n (e must ask a"out that continuing si!ence (ithin postmo ernismCs shifting terrain, a"out (hether

the forms of !icensing of the ga+e that this pro!iferation of ifference invites an a!!o(s, at the same time as it isavo(s, is not rea!!$, a!ong (ith &enetton an the mi#e ma!e mo e!s of the face, a kin of ifference that oesnCt make a ifference of an$ kin % 1a! 9oster (rites (19AG8 204) -- 5a!!ace *uotes him in her essa$ >the primitive is a mo ern pro"!em, a crisis in cu!tura! i entit$>--hence, the mo ernist construction of primitivism, the fetishistic recognition an isavo(a! of the primitive ifference% &ut this reso!ution is on!$ a repression= e!a$e into our po!itica! unconscious, the primitive returns uncanni!$ at the moment of its apparent po!itica! ec!ipse% This rupture of primitivism, manage "$ mo ernism, "ecomes another postmo ern event% That managing is certain!$ evi ent in the ifference that ma$ not make a ifference, (hich marks the am"iguous appearance of ethnicit$ at the heart of g!o"a! postmo ernism% &ut it cannot "e on!$ that% 9or (e cannot forget ho( cu!tura! !ife, a"ove a!! in the 5est, "ut e!se(here as (e!!, has "een transforme in our !ifetimes "$ the voicing of the margins% 5ithin cu!ture, margina!it$, though it remains periphera! to the "roa er mainstream, has never "een such a pro uctive space as it is no(% 'n that is not simp!$ the opening (ithin the ominant of spaces that those outsi e it can occup$% )t is a!so the resu!t of the cu!tura! po!itics of ifference, of the strugg!es aroun ifference, of the pro uction of ne( i entities, of the appearance of ne( su"<ects on the po!itica! an cu!tura! stage% This is true not on!$ regar ing race, "ut a!so for other margina!i+e ethnicities, as (e!! as aroun feminism an aroun se#ua! po!itics in the ga$ an !es"ian movement, as a resu!t of a ne( kin of cu!tura! po!itics% -f course, ) onCt (ant to suggest that (e can counterpoise some eas$ sense of victories (on to the eterna! stor$ of our o(n margina!i+ation--)Cm tire of those t(o continuous gran counternarratives% To remain (ithin them is to "ecome trappe in that en !ess eitherEor, either tota! victor$ or tota! incorporation, (hich a!most never happens in cu!tura! po!itics, "ut (ith (hich cu!tura! critics a!(a$s put themse!ves to "e % 5hat (e are ta!king a"out is the strugg!e over cu!tura! hegemon$, (hich is these a$s (age as much in popu!ar cu!ture as an$(here e!se% That highEpopu!ar istinction is precise!$ (hat the g!o"a! postmo ern is isp!acing% ,u!tura! hegemon$ is never a"out pure victor$ or pure omination (thatCs not (hat the term means)= it is never a +ero-sum cu!tura! game= it is a!(a$s a"out shifting the "a!ance of po(er in the re!ations of cu!ture= it is a!(a$s a"out changing the ispositions an the configurations of cu!tura! po(er, not getting out of it% There is a kin of >nothing ever changes, the s$stem a!(a$s (ins> attitu e, (hich ) rea as the c$nica! protective she!! that, )Cm sorr$ to sa$, 'merican cu!tura! critics fre*uent!$ (ear, a she!! that sometimes prevents them from eve!oping cu!tura! strategies that can make a ifference% )t is as if, in or er to protect themse!ves against the occasiona! efeat, the$ have to preten the$ can see right through ever$thing -- an itCs <ust the same as it a!(a$s (as% 4o(, cu!tura! strategies that can make a ifference, thatCs (hat )Cm intereste in -- those that can make a ifference an can shift the ispositions of po(er% ) ackno(!e ge that the spaces >(on> for ifference are fe( an far "et(een, that the$ are ver$ carefu!!$ po!ice an regu!ate % ) "e!ieve the$ are !imite % ) kno(, to m$ cost, that the$ are gross!$

un erfun e , that there is a!(a$s a price of incorporation to "e pai (hen the cutting e ge of ifference an transgression is "!unte into spectacu!ari+ation% ) kno( that (hat rep!aces invisi"i!it$ is a kin of carefu!!$ regu!ate , segregate visi"i!it$% &ut it oes not he!p simp!$ to name-ca!! it >the same%> That name-ca!!ing mere!$ ref!ects the particu!ar mo e! of cu!tura! po!itics to (hich (e remain attache , precise!$, the +ero-sum game -our mo e! rep!acing their mo e!, our i entities in p!ace of their i entities -- (hat 'ntonio 0ramsci ca!!e cu!ture as a once an for a!! >(ar of maneuver,> (hen, in fact, the on!$ game in to(n (orth p!a$ing is the game of cu!tura! >(ars of position%> Dest $ou think, to paraphrase 0ramsci, m$ optimism of the (i!! has no( comp!ete!$ outstrippe m$ pessimism of the inte!!ect, !et me a a fourth e!ement that comments on the moment% 9or, if the g!o"a! postmo ern represents an am"iguous opening to ifference an to the margins an makes a certain kin of ecentering of the 5estern narrative a !ike!$ possi"i!it$, it is matche , from the ver$ heart!an of cu!tura! po!itics, "$ the "ack!ash8 the aggressive resistance to ifference= the attempt to restore the canon of 5estern civi!i+ation= the assau!t, irect an in irect, on mu!ticu!tura!ism= the return to gran narratives of histor$, !anguage, an !iterature (the three great supporting pi!!ars of nationa! i entit$ an nationa! cu!ture)= the efense of ethnic a"so!utism, of a cu!tura! racism that has marke the Thatcher an the Reagan eras= an the ne( #enopho"ias that are a"out to over(he!m fortress 3urope% The !ast thing to o is to rea me as sa$ing the cu!tura! ia!ectic is finishe % .art of the pro"!em is that (e have forgotten (hat sort of space the space of popu!ar cu!ture is% 'n "!ack popu!ar cu!ture is not e#empt from that ia!ectic, (hich is historica!, not a matter of "a faith% )t is therefore necessar$ to econstruct the popu!ar once an for a!!% There is no going "ack to an innocent vie( of (hat it consists of% .opu!ar cu!ture carries that affirmative ring "ecause of the prominence of the (or >popu!ar%> 'n , in one sense, popu!ar cu!ture a!(a$s has its "ase in the e#periences, the p!easures, the memories, the tra itions of the peop!e% )t has connections (ith !oca! hopes an !oca! aspirations, !oca! trage ies, an !oca! scenarios that are the ever$ a$ practices an the ever$ a$ e#periences of or inar$ fo!ks% 1ence, it !inks (ith (hat :ikhai! &akhtin ca!!s >the vu!gar>--the popu!ar, the informa!, the un ersi e, the grotes*ue% That is (h$ it has a!(a$s "een counterpoise to e!ite or high cu!ture, an is thus a site of a!ternative tra itions% 'n that is (h$ the ominant tra ition has a!(a$s "een eep!$ suspicious of it, *uite right!$% The$ suspect that the$ are a"out to "e overtaken "$ (hat &akhtin ca!!s >the carniva!es*ue%> This fun amenta! mapping of cu!ture "et(een the high an the !o( has "een charte into four s$m"o!ic omains "$ .eter Sta!!$"rass an '!!on 5hite in their important "ook, The .o!itics an .oetics of Transgression% The$ ta!k a"out the mapping of high an !o( in ps$chic forms, in the human "o $, in space, an in the socia! or er (19A@8 3)% 'n the$ iscuss the highE!o( istinction as a fun amenta! "asis to the mechanisms of or ering an of sense-making in 3uropean an other cu!tures espite the fact that the contents of (hat is high an (hat is !o( change from one historica! moment to another% The important point is the or ering of ifferent aesthetic mora!s, socia! aesthetics, the or erings of cu!ture that open up cu!ture to the p!a$ of po(er, not an inventor$ of (hat is

high versus (hat is !o( at an$ particu!ar moment% That is (h$ 0ramsci, (ho has a si e of common sense on (hich, a"ove a!!, cu!tura! hegemon$ is ma e, !ost, an strugg!e over, gave the *uestion of (hat he ca!!e >the nationa! popu!ar> such strategic importance% The ro!e of the >popu!ar> in popu!ar cu!ture is to fi# the authenticit$ of popu!ar forms, rooting them in the e#periences of popu!ar communities from (hich the$ ra( their strength, a!!o(ing us to see them as e#pressive of a particu!ar su"or inate socia! !ife that resists its "eing constant!$ ma e over as !o( an outsi e% 1o(ever, as popu!ar cu!ture has historica!!$ "ecome the ominant form of g!o"a! cu!ture, so it is at the same time the scene, par e#ce!!ence, of commo ification, of the in ustries (here cu!ture enters irect!$ into the circuits of a ominant techno!og$ -- the circuits of po(er an capita!% )t is the space of homogeni+ation (here stereot$ping an the formu!aic merci!ess!$ process the materia! an e#periences it ra(s into its (e", (here contro! over narratives an representations passes into the han s of the esta"!ishe cu!tura! "ureaucracies, sometimes (ithout a murmur% )t is roote in popu!ar e#perience an avai!a"!e for e#propriation at one an the same time% ) (ish to argue that this is necessari!$ an inevita"!$ so% 'n this goes for "!ack popu!ar cu!ture as (e!!% &!ack popu!ar cu!ture, !ike a!! popu!ar cu!tures in the mo ern (or! , is "oun to "e contra ictor$, an this is not "ecause (e havenCt fought the cu!tura! "att!e (e!! enough% &$ efinition, "!ack popu!ar cu!ture is a contra ictor$ space% )t is a site of strategic contestation% &ut it can never "e simp!ifie or e#p!aine in terms of the simp!e "inar$ oppositions that are sti!! ha"itua!!$ use to map it out8 high an !o(= resistance versus incorporation= authentic versus unauthentic= e#perientia! versus forma!= opposition versus homogeni+ation% There are a!(a$s positions to "e (on in popu!ar cu!ture, "ut no strugg!e can capture popu!ar cu!ture itse!f for our si e or theirs% 5h$ is that so; 5hat conse*uences oes this have for strategies of intervention in cu!tura! po!itics; 1o( oes it shift the "asis for "!ack cu!tura! criticism; 1o(ever eforme , incorporate , an unauthentic are the forms in (hich "!ack peop!e an "!ack communities an tra itions appear an are represente in popu!ar cu!ture, (e continue to see, in the figures an the repertoires on (hich popu!ar cu!ture ra(s, the e#periences that stan "ehin them% )n its e#pressivit$, its musica!it$, its ora!it$, in its rich, eep, an varie attention to speech, in its inf!ections to(ar the vernacu!ar an the !oca!, in its rich pro uction of counternarratives, an a"ove a!!, in its metaphorica! use of the musica! voca"u!ar$, "!ack popu!ar cu!ture has ena"!e the surfacing, insi e the mi#e an contra ictor$ mo es even of some mainstream popu!ar cu!ture, of e!ements of a iscourse that is ifferent -- other forms of !ife, other tra itions of representation% ) o not propose to repeat the (ork of those (ho have evote their scho!ar!$, critica!, an creative !ives to i entif$ing the istinctiveness of these iasporic tra itions, to e#p!oring their mo es an the historica! e#periences an memories the$ enco e% ) sa$ on!$ three ina e*uate things a"out these tra itions, since the$ are germane to the point ) (ish to eve!op% 9irst, ) ask $ou to note ho(, (ithin the "!ack repertoire, st$!e -- (hich mainstream cu!tura! critics often "e!ieve to "e the mere husk, the (rapping, the sugar coating on the pi!! -- has "ecome itse!f the su"<ect of (hat is going on% Secon , mark

ho(, isp!ace from a !ogocentric (or! -- (here the irect master$ of cu!tura! mo es meant the master$ of (riting, an hence, "oth of the criticism of (riting (!ogocentric criticism) an the econstruction of (riting -- the peop!e of the "!ack iaspora have, in opposition to a!! of that, foun the eep form, the eep structure of their cu!tura! !ife in music% Thir , think of ho( these cu!tures have use the "o $ -- as if it (ere, an it often (as, the on!$ cu!tura! capita! (e ha % 5e have (orke on ourse!ves as the canvases of representation% There are eep *uestions here of cu!tura! transmission an inheritance, an of the comp!e# re!ations "et(een 'frican origins an the irreversi"!e scatterings of the iaspora, *uestions ) cannot go into% &ut ) o "e!ieve that these repertoires of "!ack popu!ar cu!ture, (hich, since (e (ere e#c!u e from the cu!tura! mainstream, (ere often the on!$ performative spaces (e ha !eft, (ere over etermine from at !east t(o irections8 the$ (ere part!$ etermine from their inheritances= "ut the$ (ere a!so critica!!$ etermine "$ the iasporic con itions in (hich the connections (ere forge % Se!ective appropriation, incorporation, an rearticu!ation of 3uropean i eo!ogies, cu!tures, an institutions, a!ongsi e an 'frican heritage -- this is ,orne! 5est again -- !e to !inguistic innovations in rhetorica! st$!i+ation of the "o $, forms of occup$ing an a!ien socia! space, heightene e#pressions, hairst$!es, (a$s of (a!king, stan ing, an ta!king, an a means of constituting an sustaining camara erie an communit$% The point of un er!$ing over etermination -- "!ack cu!tura! repertoires constitute from t(o irections at once -- is perhaps more su"versive than $ou think% )t is to insist that in "!ack popu!ar cu!ture, strict!$ speaking, ethnographica!!$ speaking, there are no pure forms at a!!% '!(a$s these forms are the pro uct of partia! s$nchroni+ation, of engagement across cu!tura! "oun aries, of the conf!uence of more than one cu!tura! tra ition, of the negotiations of ominant an su"or inate positions, of the su"terranean strategies of reco ing an transco ing, of critica! signification, of signif$ing% '!(a$s these forms are impure, to some egree h$"ri i+e from a vernacu!ar "ase% Thus, the$ must a!(a$s "e hear , not simp!$ as the recover$ of a !ost ia!ogue "earing c!ues for the pro uction of ne( musics ("ecause there is never an$ going "ack to the o! in a simp!e (a$), "ut as (hat the$ are -- a aptations, mo! e to the mi#e , contra ictor$, h$"ri spaces of popu!ar cu!ture% The$ are not the recover$ of something pure that (e can, at !ast, !ive "$% )n (hat Fo"ena :ercer ca!!s the necessit$ for a iaspora aesthetic, (e are o"!ige to ackno(!e ge the$ are (hat the mo ern is% )t is this mark of ifference insi e forms of popu!ar cu!ture -- (hich are "$ efinition contra ictor$ an (hich therefore appear as impure, threatene "$ incorporation or e#c!usion -- that is carrie "$ the signifier >"!ack> in the term >"!ack popu!ar cu!ture%> )t has come to signif$ the "!ack communit$, (here these tra itions (ere kept, an (hose strugg!es survive in the persistence of the "!ack e#perience (the historica! e#perience of "!ack peop!e in the iaspora), of the "!ack aesthetic (the istinctive cu!tura! repertoires out of (hich popu!ar representations (ere ma e), an of the "!ack counternarratives (e have strugg!e to voice% 1ere, "!ack popu!ar cu!ture returns to the groun ) efine ear!ier% >0oo > "!ack popu!ar cu!ture can pass the test of authenticit$ -- the reference to

"!ack e#perience an to "!ack e#pressivit$% These serve as the guarantees in the etermination of (hich "!ack popu!ar cu!ture is right on, (hich is ours, an (hich is not% ) have the fee!ing that, historica!!$, nothing cou! have "een one to intervene in the ominate fie! of mainstream popu!ar cu!ture, to tr$ to (in some space there, (ithout the strategies through (hich those imensions (ere con ense into the signifier >"!ack%> 5here (ou! (e "e, as "e!! hooks once remarke , (ithout a touch of essentia!ism; -r, (hat 0a$atri Spivak ca!!s strategic essentia!ism, a necessar$ moment; The *uestion is (hether (e are an$ !onger in that moment, (hether that is sti!! a sufficient "asis for the strategies of ne( interventions% Det me tr$ to set forth (aht seem to me to "e the (eaknesses of this essentia!i+ing moment an the strategies, creative an critica!, that f!o( from it% This moment essentia!i+es ifferences in severa! senses% )t sees ifference as >their tra itions versus ours,> not in a positiona! (a$, "ut in a mutua!!$ e#c!usive, autonomous, an se!f-sufficient one% )t is therefore una"!e to grasp the ia!ogic strategies an h$"ri forms essentia! to the iaspora aesthetic% ' movement "e$on this essentia!ism is not an aesthetic or critica! strateg$ (ithout a cu!tura! po!itics, (ithout a marking of ifference% )t is not simp!$ rearticu!ation an reappropriation for the sake of it% 5hat it eva es is the essentia!i+ing of ifference into t(o mutua!!$ oppose eitherEorCs% 5hat it oes is to move us into a ne( kin of cu!tura! positiona!it$, a ifferent !ogic of ifference% To encapsu!ate (hat .au! 0i!ro$ has so vivi !$ put on the po!itica! an cu!tura! agen a of "!ack po!itics in the 7nite Fing om8 "!acks in the &ritish iaspora must, at this historica! moment, refuse the "inar$ "!ack or &ritish% The$ must refuse it "ecause the >or> remains the sight of constant contestation (hen the aim of the strugg!e must "e, instea , to rep!ace the >or> (ith the potentia!it$ or the possi"i!it$ of an >an %> That is the !ogic of coup!ing rather than the !ogic of a "inar$ opposition% /ou can "e "!ack an &ritish, not on!$ "ecause that is a necessar$ position to take in 1992, "ut a!so "ecause even those t(o terms, <oine no( "$ the coup!er >an > instea of oppose to one another, o not e#haust a!! of our i entities% -n!$ some of our i entities are sometimes caught in that particu!ar strugg!e% The essentia!i+ing moment is (eak "ecause it natura!i+es an ehistorici+es ifference, mistaking (hat is historica! an cu!tura! for (hat is natura!, "io!ogica!, an genetic% The moment the signifier >"!ack> is torn from its historica!, cu!tura!, an po!itica! em"e ing an !o ge in a "io!ogica!!$ constitute racia! categor$, (e va!ori+e, "$ inversion, the ver$ groun of the racism (e are tr$ing to econstruct% )n a ition, as a!(a$s happens (hen (e natura!i+e historica! categories (think a"out gen er an se#ua!it$), (e fi# that signifier outsi e of histor$, outsi e of change, outsi e of po!itica! intervention% 'n once it is fi#e , (e are tempte to use >"!ack> as sufficient in itse!f to guarantee the progressive character of the po!itics (e fight un er the "anner -- as if (e onCt have an$ other po!itics to argue a"out e#cept (hether something is "!ack or not% 5e are tempte to isp!a$ that signifier as a evice that can purif$ the impure, "ring the stra$ing "rothers an sisters (ho onCt kno( (hat the$ ought to "e oing into !ine, an po!ice the "oun aries that are of course po!itica!, s$m"o!ic, an positiona! "oun aries -- as if the$ (ere genetic% 9or (hich, )Cm sorr$ to sa$, rea ><ung!e fever> -- as if (e can trans!ate

from nature to po!itics using a racia! categor$ to (arrant the po!itics of a cu!tura! te#t an as a !ine against (hich to measure eviation% :oreover, (e ten to privi!ege e#perience itse!f, as if "!ack !ife is !ive e#perience outsi e of representation% 5e have on!$, as it (ere, to e#press (hat (e a!rea $ kno( (e are% )nstea , it is on!$ through the (a$ in (hich (e represent an imagine ourse!ves that (e come to kno( ho( (e are constitute an (ho (e are% There is no escape from the po!itics of representation, an (e cannot (ie! >ho( !ife rea!!$ is out there> as a kin of test against (hich the po!itica! rightness or (rongness of a particu!ar cu!tura! strateg$ or te#t can "e measure % )t (i!! not "e a m$ster$ to $ou that ) think that >"!ack> is none of these things in rea!it$% )t is not a categor$ of essence an , hence, this (a$ of un erstan ing the f!oating signifier in "!ack popu!ar cu!ture no( (i!! not o% There is, of course, a ver$ profoun set of istinctive, historica!!$ efine "!ack e#periences that contri"ute to those a!ternative repertoires ) spoke a"out ear!ier% &ut it is to the iversit$, not the homogeneit$, of "!ack e#perience that (e must no( give our un ivi e creative attention% This is not simp!$ to appreciate the historica! an e#perientia! ifferences (ithin an "et(een communities, regions, countr$ an cit$, across nationa! cu!tures, "et(een iasporas, "ut a!so to recogni+e the other kin s of ifference that p!ace, position, an !ocate "!ack peop!e% The point is not simp!$ that, since our racia! ifferences o not constitute a!! of us, (e are a!(a$s ifferent, negotiating ifferent kin s of ifferences -- of gen er, of se#ua!it$, of c!ass% )t is a!so that these antagonisms refuse to "e neat!$ a!igne = the$ are simp!$ not re uci"!e to one another= the$ refuse to coa!esce aroun a sing!e a#is of ifferentiation% 5e are a!(a$s in negotiation, not (ith a sing!e set of oppositions that p!ace us a!(a$s in the same re!ation to others, "ut (ith a series of ifferent positiona!ities% 3ach has for us its point of profoun su"<ective i entification% 'n that is the most ifficu!t thing a"out this pro!iferation of the fie! of i entities an antagonisms8 the$ are often is!ocating in re!ation to one another% Thus, to put it cru e!$, certain (a$s in (hich "!ack men continue to !ive out their counter-i entities as "!ack mascu!inities an rep!a$ those fantasies of "!ack mascu!inities in the theaters of popu!ar cu!ture are, (hen vie(e from a!ong other a#es of ifference, the ver$ mascu!ine i entities that are oppressive to (omen, that c!aim visi"i!it$ for their har ness on!$ at the e#pense of the vu!nera"i!it$ of "!ack (omen an the femini+ation of ga$ "!ack men% The (a$ in (hich a transgressive po!itics in one omain is constant!$ suture an sta"i!i+e "$ reactionar$ or une#amine po!itics in another is on!$ to "e e#p!aine "$ this continuous cross- is!ocation of one i entit$ "$ another, one structure "$ another% ?ominant ethnicities are a!(a$s un erpinne "$ a particu!ar se#ua! econom$, a particu!ar figure mascu!init$, a particu!ar c!ass i entit$% There is no guarantee, in reaching for an essentia!i+e racia! i entit$ of (hich (e think (e can "e certain, that it (i!! a!(a$s turn out to "e mutua!!$ !i"erating an progressive on a!! the other imensions% )t can "e (on% There is a po!itics there to "e strugg!e for% &ut the invocation of a guarantee "!ack e#perience "ehin it (i!! not pro uce that po!itics% )n ee , the p!ura!it$ of antagonisms an ifferences that no( seek to estro$ the unit$ of "!ack po!itics, given the comp!e#ities of the structures of su"or ination that have "een forme "$ the (a$ in

(hich (e (ere inserte into the "!ack iaspora, is not at a!! surprising% These are the thoughts that rove me to speak, in an unguar e moment, of the en of the innocence of the "!ack su"<ect or the en of the innocent notion of an essentia! "!ack su"<ect% ) (ish to en simp!$ "$ remin ing $ou that this en is a!so a "eginning% 's )saac 2u!ien sai in an intervie( (ith "e!! hooks in (hich the$ iscusse his ne( fi!m /oung Sou! Re"e!s, his attempt in his o(n (ork to portra$ a num"er of ifferent racia! "o ies, to constitute a range of ifferent "!ack su"<ectivities, an to engage (ith the positiona!ities of a num"er of ifferent kin s of "!ack mascu!inities8 %%%"!ackness as a sign is never enough% 5hat oes that "!ack su"<ect o, ho( oes it act, ho( oes it think po!itica!!$%%%% I&Jeing "!ack isnCt rea!!$ goo enough for me8 ) (ant to kno( (hat $our cu!tura! po!itics are (in hooks, 19908 1BG)% ) (ant to en (ith t(o thoughts that take that point "ack to the su"<ect of popu!ar cu!ture% The first is to remin $ou that popu!ar cu!ture, commo ifie an stereot$pe as it often is, is not at a!!, as (e sometimes think of it, the arena (here (e fin (ho (e rea!!$ are, the truth of our e#perience% )t is an arena that is profoun !$ m$thic% )t is a theater of popu!ar esires, a theater of popu!ar fantasies% )t is (here (e iscover an p!a$ (ith the i entifications of ourse!ves, (here (e are imagine , (here (e are represente , not on!$ to the au iences out there (ho o not get the message, "ut to ourse!ves for the first time% 's 9reu sai , se# (an representation) main!$ takes p!ace in the hea % Secon , though the terrain of the popu!ar !ooks as if it is constructe (ith sing!e "inaries, it is not% ) remin e $ou a"out the importance of the structuring of cu!tura! space in terms of high an !o(, an the threat of the &akhtinian carniva!es*ue% ) think &akhtin has "een profoun !$ misrea % The carniva!es*ue is not simp!$ an upturning of t(o things that remain !ocke (ithin their oppositiona! frame(orks= it is a!so crosscut "$ (hat &akhtin ca!!s the ia!ogic% ) simp!$ (ish to en (ith an account of (hat is invo!ve in un erstan ing popu!ar cu!ture, in a ia!ogic rather than in a strict!$ oppositiona! (a$, from The .o!itics an .oetics of Transgression "$ Sta!!$"rass an 5hite8 ' recurrent pattern emerges8 the >top> attempts to re<ect an e!iminate the >"ottom> for reasons of prestige an status, on!$ to iscover, not on!$ that it is in some (a$ fre*uent!$ epen ent upon the !o(--ther%%%"ut a!so that the top inc!u es that !o( s$m"o!ica!!$, as a primar$ erotici+e constituent of its o(n fantas$ !ife% The resu!t is a mo"i!e, conf!ictua! fusion of po(er, fear, an esire in the construction of su"<ectivit$8 a ps$cho!ogica! epen ence upon precise!$ those others (hich are "eing rigorous!$ oppose an e#c!u e at the socia! !eve!% )t is for this reason that (hat is socia!!$ periphera! is so fre*uent!$ s$m"o!ica!!$ centra!%%%(19A@8 G)% R393R34,3S 9oster, 1a! 19AG Reco ings8 'rt, Spectac!e, an ,u!tura! .o!itics% .ort To(nsen , 5ashington8 &a$ .ress% 1a!!, Stuart 19AA >4e( 3thnicities%> Fo"ena :ercer (e %), &!ack 9i!mE&ritish ,inema, ),' ?ocument B% Don on8 )nstitute of ,ontemporar$ 'rts%

hooks, "e!! 1990 >States of ?esire%> ()ntervie( (ith )saac 2u!ien)% Transition 1,3% Sta!!$"rass, .eter an '!!on 5hite 19A@ The .o!itics an .oetics of Transgression% )thaca8 ,orne!! 7niversit$ .ress% 5a!!ace, :iche!e 1990 >:o ernism, .ostmo ernism, an the .ro"!em of the Hisua! in 'fro-'merican ,u!ture%> Russe!! 9erguson et a!% (e s%), -ut There8 :argina!i+ation an ,ontemporar$ ,u!tures% ,am"ri ge8 :)T .ress in association (ith the 4e( :useum of ,ontemporar$ 'rt% 5est, ,orne! 1990 >The 4e( ,u!tura! .o!itics of ?ifference%> Russe!! 9erguson et a!% (e s%), -ut There8 :argina!i+ation an ,ontemporar$ ,u!tures% ,am"ri ge8 :)T .ress in association (ith the 4e( :useum of ,ontemporar$ 'rt%