New Slave Narrative: The Battle Over Representations of Contemporary Slavery

Survivors of modern slavery have revived the slave narrative as a powerful tool to fight against slavery. Their writings unveil the systemic underpinnings of global slavery and critique the precarity of their hard-fought freedom. This study analyzes dozens of book-length accounts of modern slavery from Africa, Asia, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Europe, examining the narrative strategies survivors employ to make their experiences legible and promote a reinvigorated antislavery agenda. It reveals an emergent survivor-centered counterdiscourse of collaboration and systemic change that offers an urgent critique of the systems that maintain contemporary slavery and the human rights industry.

\n Format: Paperback / softback
\n Length: 320 pages
\n Publication date: 17 September 2019
\n Publisher: Columbia University Press
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A century and a half after the abolition of slavery in the United States, survivors of contemporary forms of enslavement from around the world have revived a powerful tool of the abolitionist movement: first-person narratives of slavery and freedom. Just as Frederick Douglass, Harriet Jacobs, and others used autobiographical testimonies in the fight to eradicate slavery, today's new slave narrators play a crucial role in shaping an antislavery agenda. Their writings unveil the systemic underpinnings of global slavery while critiquing the precarity of their hard-fought freedom. At the same time, the demands of antislavery organizations, religious groups, and book publishers circumscribe the voices of the enslaved, co-opting their narratives in support of alternative agendas.

In this pathbreaking interdisciplinary study, Laura T. Murphy argues that the slave narrative has reemerged as a twenty-first-century genre that has gained new currency in the context of the memoir boom, post-9/11 anti-Islamic sentiment, and conservative family-values politics. She analyzes a diverse range of dozens of book-length accounts of modern slavery from Africa, Asia, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Europe, examining the narrative strategies that survivors of slavery employ to make their experiences legible and to promote a reinvigorated antislavery agenda. By putting these stories into conversation with one another, The New Slave Narrative reveals an emergent survivor-centered counterdiscourse of collaboration and systemic change that offers an urgent critique of the systems that maintain contemporary slavery, as well as of the human rights industry and the antislavery movement.

The slave narrative has a rich and complex history, dating back to the eighteenth century when enslaved people began to write their own accounts of their experiences. These narratives were often used as a tool for resistance and empowerment, as they allowed enslaved people to share their stories with others and to challenge the dominant narratives of slavery. However, the slave narrative was also heavily influenced by the broader social and political context in which it was produced. In the United States, for example, the slave narrative was often used to support the abolitionist movement, as it provided a powerful counterargument to the arguments of slaveholders who claimed that slavery was a natural and necessary institution.

In the twenty-first century, the slave narrative has continued to evolve and adapt to new contexts and challenges. One of the most significant developments has been the rise of the memoir boom, which has seen an increasing number of people write their own personal accounts of their lives. This has led to a renewed interest in the slave narrative, as survivors of slavery have used their own experiences to shed light on the ongoing legacy of slavery and to advocate for social change.

Another important development has been the rise of post-9/11 anti-Islamic sentiment, which has led to a renewed interest in the slave narrative as a way to understand the experiences of Muslim people who have been subjected to slavery and discrimination. Many survivors of slavery have used their own experiences to challenge the stereotypes and misconceptions about Muslim people, and to advocate for greater understanding and respect for their cultural and religious traditions.

Finally, the rise of conservative family-values politics has also led to a renewed interest in the slave narrative, as some conservative groups have used it to argue for the importance of traditional family values and the sanctity of human life. Many survivors of slavery have used their own experiences to challenge the notion that slavery is a historical relic that should be forgotten, and to advocate for greater recognition and support for the survivors of slavery today.

Despite these developments, the slave narrative has also faced challenges in the twenty-first century. One of the most significant challenges has been the co-optation of the slave narrative by antislavery organizations, religious groups, and book publishers. These groups have often used the slave narrative to support their own agendas, rather than to promote the antislavery movement. For example, some antislavery organizations have used the slave narrative to argue for the importance of reparations for slavery, while others have used it to promote the idea that slavery was a natural and necessary institution.

Another challenge has been the lack of recognition and support for the voices of enslaved people themselves. Many survivors of slavery have faced discrimination and marginalization in their communities, and have been unable to share their own stories with others. This has led to a lack of understanding and empathy for the experiences of enslaved people, and has contributed to the ongoing legacy of slavery.

Despite these challenges, the slave narrative has continued to be a powerful tool for promoting social change and understanding the ongoing legacy of slavery. By analyzing a diverse range of slave narratives from different contexts and periods, scholars and activists can gain a deeper understanding of the experiences of enslaved people and the strategies that they employed to resist and survive. This can help to inform the ongoing fight against contemporary forms of slavery and to promote greater social justice and equality for all people.

In conclusion, the slave narrative has a rich and complex history that has evolved and adapted to new contexts and challenges in the twenty-first century. While it has faced challenges, such as co-optation and lack of recognition, it has also continued to be a powerful tool for promoting social change and understanding the ongoing legacy of slavery. By analyzing a diverse range of slave narratives from different contexts and periods, scholars and activists can gain a deeper understanding of the experiences of enslaved people and the strategies that they employed to resist and survive. This can help to inform the ongoing fight against contemporary forms of slavery and to promote greater social justice and equality for all people.

\n Weight: 452g\n
Dimension: 153 x 228 x 17 (mm)\n
ISBN-13: 9780231188258\n \n