Representations of Slave Women in Discourses on Slavery and - Abolition, 1780183

This book analyzes textual representations of Jamaican slave women in three contexts--motherhood, intimate relationships, and work--in both pro- and antislavery writings. Altink examines how British abolitionists and pro-slavery activists represented the slave women to their audiences and explains not only the purposes that these representations served, but also their effects on slave women's lives.

List of contents

Part 1: Incompetent Mothers 1. Belly-Women 2. Pickeniny Mummas Part 2: Adulterous Wives 3. Deviant and Dangerous: Attitudes to Slave Women's Sexuality 4. Slave Marriage: Solution or Problem? Part 3: Unruly Workers 5. The Indecency of the Lash 6. Slavery by Another Name 7. Conclusion

About the author

Henrice Altink is a lecturer in history at the University of York.

Summary

Taking Jamaica as its focus of study, this book analyzes three debates about slave women in the period 1780-1838 which were central to the competing discourses of slavery and abolition: motherhood, marriage and flogging.

Additional text

'Altink has provided a useful study that delves into the interplay of race, gender, and rhetoric as well as how these factors combined to initially uphold, but ultimately subvert, the slave system in Jamaica. In the process, she has contributed to a growing body of literature on slave women.' – Journal of American Ethnic History

Product details

• Authors: Henrice Altink, Henrice (University of York Altink, Henrice (York University Altink, Altink Henrice
• Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd.
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Released: 24.04.2014
• EAN: 9780415758925
• ISBN: 978-0-415-75892-5
• No. of pages: 272
• Series: Routledge Studies in Slave and Post-Slave Societies and Cultures
• Subjects: Humanities, art, music > History; Non-fiction book > History > Miscellaneous; SOCIAL SCIENCE / Slavery, Slavery & abolition of slavery, Slavery and abolition of slavery