Resurrecting the Black Body: Race and the Digital Afterlife

In Resurrecting the Black Body, Tonia Sutherland examines the consequences of digitally raising the dead, exploring media evidence, digital acts of remembering, and the commodification of Black bodies and lives across time. She interrogates the intersections of life, death, personal data, and human autonomy in the era of Google, Twitter, and Facebook and presents a critique of digital resurrection technologies.

Format: Hardback
Length: 232 pages
Publication date: 14 November 2023
Publisher: University of California Press

In her groundbreaking work, "Resurrecting the Black Body," Tonia Sutherland delves into the profound implications of digitally resurrecting the deceased. Drawing from a rich tapestry of historical evidence, ranging from the violent deaths of Black Americans during slavery to the contemporary era of social media, Sutherland explores the complex interplay between media, digital acts of remembrance, and the right to be forgotten.

Through a meticulous examination of various forms of media, from iconic images such as Gordon (also known as Whipped Peter) to haunting photographs of lynchings like Jesse Washington's, and even the shocking video of George Floyd's murder, Sutherland uncovers the intricate ways in which Black bodies and lives have been commodified across time. From the realm of DNA analysis to the emergence of holograms and posthumous communication, this book traces the ever-evolving landscape of the commodification of Blackness.

Sutherland's analysis is framed within the context of (anti-)Blackness in the United States, shedding light on the intersections of life, death, personal data, and human autonomy in the age of Google, Twitter, and Facebook. She offers a critical critique of digital resurrection technologies, questioning their potential to perpetuate biases and fuel new forms of racialized aggression. At the same time, she poses provocative questions about alternative visions of life and remembrance, highlighting the unique ways in which Black cultures have resisted erasure and oblivion.

"Resurrecting the Black Body" is a thought-provoking and indispensable exploration of the digital age, offering a timely reminder of the ongoing struggles for Black digital sovereignty in life and death. It is a testament to Sutherland's commitment to challenging the boundaries of knowledge and promoting a more inclusive and equitable society.

Weight: 408g
Dimension: 210 x 140 x 15 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780520383869