The Politics of Exhaustion

Akwugo Emejulu, Leah Bassel

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

42 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Drawing on our comparative research project conducted in six European cities, this article proposes a tentative politics of exhaustion as a way to understand the promise and perils of women of colour activists’ solidarity work. Through an examination of how women of colour activists strategise, organise and mobilise, we demonstrate the political and psychological impact of exhaustion. To declare exhaustion, we argue, is to hail the equally exhausted to build solidarity. Understanding the politics of exhaustion can help shed light on the creative practices of women of colour activists in European cities today, as well as highlight the structural processes that demand activists’ exhaustion.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)400-406
Number of pages7
JournalCity
Volume24
Issue number1-2
Early online date23 Mar 2020
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Apr 2020
Externally publishedYes

Funder

The project is funded by the Open Society Foundation (OR2018-43276), November 2018–April 2021.

Funding

FundersFunder number
Open Society FoundationsOR2018-43276
Open Society Foundations

    Keywords

    • women of colour
    • European cities
    • exhaustion
    • solidarity
    • social movements

    ASJC Scopus subject areas

    • Geography, Planning and Development
    • Urban Studies

    Themes

    • Social Movements and Contentious Politics

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