womanism
Also known as womanist theory
thumb|A depiction of black female unity as a core value of womanism|alt=Black and white drawing of women of African-American descent holding a large pot together above their headsWomanism is a feminist movement, primarily championed by Black feminists, originating in the work of African American author Alice Walker in her 1983 book ''In Search of Our Mothers' Gardens''. Walker coined the term "womanist" in the short story "Coming Apart" in 1979. Her initial use of the term evolved to envelop a spectrum of issues and perspectives facing black women and others. Walker defined "womanism" as embra
Article
17 sectionsContents
- Theory
- Phases of the theory
- Womanist (1979)
- Womanism (1985)
- Africana womanism (1995)
- Ideologies
- Black feminism
- Africana womanism
- Womanist identifications
- Literature and activism
- Spirituality and womanist theology
- Ethics
- Critiques
- See also
- References
- Further reading
- External links
thumb|A depiction of black female unity as a core value of womanism|alt=Black and white drawing of women of African-American descent holding a large pot together above their headsWomanism is a feminist movement, primarily championed by Black feminists, originating in the work of African American author Alice Walker in her 1983 book ''In Search of Our Mothers' Gardens''. Walker coined the term "womanist" in the short story "Coming Apart" in 1979. Her initial use of the term evolved to envelop a spectrum of issues and perspectives facing black women and others. Walker defined "womanism" as embracing the courage, audacity, and self-assured demeanor of Black women, alongside their love for other women, themselves, and all of humanity. Since its inception by Walker, womanism has expanded to encompass various domains, giving rise to concepts such as Africana womanism and womanist theology or spirituality.
Womanism can be applied as a social theory based on the history and everyday experiences of Black women. According to womanist scholar Layli Maparyan (Phillips), womanist theory seeks to "restore the balance between people and the environment/nature and reconcil[e] human life with the spiritual dimension."