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Lauren Michele Jackson

American culture critic (born 1991) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Lauren Michele Jackson (born 1991) is an American culture critic and assistant professor of English and African American studies at Northwestern University. Her first book, White Negroes (2019), is a nonfiction collection of essays that explores cultural appropriation.[1][2]

OccupationsCulture critic, scholar, writer
KnownforWhite Negroes (2019)
TitleAssistant professor
Quick facts Dr., Occupations ...
Dr.
Lauren Michele Jackson
OccupationsCulture critic, scholar, writer
Known forWhite Negroes (2019)
TitleAssistant professor
Academic background
EducationUniversity of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign (BA)
University of Chicago (PhD)
ThesisBlack Vertigo: Nausea, Aphasia, and Bodily Noise, 1970s to the present (2019)
Academic work
DisciplineEnglish, African-American studies
InstitutionsNorthwestern University
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Career

Jackson attended University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign for her bachelor's degree. She received her doctoral degree in English Language and Literature from University of Chicago. Her dissertation is titled "Black Vertigo: Nausea, Aphasia, and Bodily Noise, 1970s to the present."[3] In 2019, Jackson was hired at Northwestern University as an assistant professor in the departments of English and African American studies.[2]

Jackson began freelance writing when she was a doctoral student.[4] She has written for Vulture, The Paris Review, and The New Yorker, among others.[5][6]

Jackson's debut book, White Negroes: Cornrows Were in Vogue... and Other Thoughts on Cultural Appropriation[7] "explores how appropriation manifests in music, art, memes, and more."[8] It was published by Beacon Press in November 2019.[9] The title was inspired by the 1957 Norman Mailer essay "The White Negro".[1] Reviewing the book for Vox, Alanna Okun wrote, "Using case studies ranging from the Kardashians to Miley Cyrus to Paula Deen to Big Dick Energy, she explores and pinpoints the term with nuance, curiosity, and wryness."[10]

She was named a contributing writer for The New Yorker in September 2020.[11]

Bibliography

Books

  • Jackson, Lauren Michele (2019). White Negroes: When Cornrows Were in Vogue… and Other Thoughts on Cultural Appropriation. Beacon Press. ISBN 9780807011805.

Essays and reporting

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Notes
  1. Online version is titled "Alice Walker's journals depict an artist restless on her laurels".
  2. Title in the online table of contents is "Kim Kardashian and the limits of checking your privilege".
  3. Originally published in the December 23, 2020 issue.

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