The ARCHAEOLOGICAL METHOD IN ANGELA DAVIS AND BELL HOOKS FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF DECOLONIAL NARRATIVES

representations of violence against black women

Abstract

This article aims to highlight the impact of archaeological research methodology on the works of Angela Davis (2016) and bell hooks (2023), respectively, “Woman, Race and Class”, and “Ain’t I a Woman: Black Women and Feminism”, which seek to re-examine, in an immersive way, the experience and fight against the violence of slavery in the history of black women. American black feminist intellectuals open the doors to scientific thought that is less tolerant of misogyny, racism, and other forms of relational and institutional violence, in order to break with the tradition of positivist historiography. This is documentary research, which includes a critical analysis of the aforementioned works, based on the philosophical method based on the historical investigation of Michel Foucault (2008). The importance of recognizing these literatures as esteemed representatives and invaders of the archeology of knowledge is highlighted, and the relevance of new productions that enable a social representation coherent with the reality of discourses about black women, contributing to a historical narrative told by the oppressed person, with the aim of opening up gaps for the effective break with the epistemologies that legitimize and favor systems of oppression. Through an archeology of slavery, beyond the colonial discursive formations of economic, political and social practices, philosophers explore the interconnections between different narratives, revealing the complex web that sustains power relations, and how marginalization is perpetuated. The conclusion points to the importance of recognizing and valuing the experiences of black women, highlighting the need to give voice to these historically silenced narratives.