Representations of Black Womanhood on Television: Being Mara Brock Akil - Paperback

by Imani M. Cheers (Contribution by), Kandace L. Harris (Contribution by), Tina M. Harris (Contribution by)

Being Mara Brock Akil: Representations of Black Womanhood on Television examines the body of work of Mara Brock Akil, the showrunner who produced Girlfriends, The Game, Being Mary Jane, and Love Is__. The contributions to this volume are theoretically anchored in Patricia Hill Collin's Black Feminist Thought, with a focus on how Brock Akil's shows intentionally address Black humanity and specifically provide context for Black women's lived experiences and empathy for Black womanhood by featuring woman-centered characters with flaws, strength, and complexity. Shauntae Brown White and Kandace L. Harris have compiled a volume that analyzes themes that define Black womanhood and examines audience reception of and social media interaction with Brock Akil's work.

Author Biography

Kandace L. Harris is special assistant to the president and associate professor of mass communication and media studies at Shaw University.

Shauntae Brown White is coordinator of the Women's and Gender Studies program and associate professor in the Department of Mass Communication at North Carolina Central University.