The Promise of a Utopian Home, or Capitalism's Commoditization of Blackness

Abstract

This essay argues that the way in which black, brown, and white youngsters in the Netherlands are taking on a new anti-essentialist version of black identity fabricated by the culture industry offers a mode of post-racialism in multicultural Europe. This new version of black identity is based upon the liberating potential in Black Atlantic music forms. Yet questions remain as to whether this potential is only temporary and whether it still bears traces of older modes of racial and gender exclusivism.

Blackfishing on Instagram: Influencing and the Commodification of Black Urban Aesthetics

“…Phenotypically Black attributes being positioned as the most desirable features for Instagram success, particularly within the context of economic agents on social media, are also being deemed the most profitable in the process. This explicitly illustrates one of the ways in which identity is rendered consumable, but also speaks to larger issues regarding industry strategies used to exploit Black markets (Gilroy, 1993; Guadeloupe & de Rooij, 2014; Hall, 1993).…”

“…Co-opted expressions of identity ultimately replicate long-standing racist stereotypes that are now able to be consumed and adopted by wider audiences (Guadeloupe & de Rooji, 2014). Like Gilroy (1993) and Hall (1993), Guadeloupe and de Rooij (2014) argue that as Black cultural aesthetics become accessible to other populations, consumers can lay claim to Black racial identity through product consumption while leaving the uniquely raced history of economic and political exploitation by the wayside. In other words, blackfishing gives rise to racialized neoliberal subjectivities which displace racist histories by focusing narrowly on Black markets and consumption.…”

“…Inviting followers to adopt the aesthetics being marketed in their content, blackfishing models offer users a way to enjoy Black cultural products while avoiding direct connections or associations with Black business. Guadeloupe and de Rooij (2014) note that it is difficult to keep the Black dollar in the community and for Black businesses to source their products from other Black-owned businesses. These influencers are ultimately taking an aesthetic from the Black community and placing it within White and mainstream consumer culture which carries material economic consequences.…”

“…Such logics have become embedded in platforms themselves, resulting in new modes of digital labor like influencing and Instagram modeling in which racial dynamics are both newly afforded and complicated at the heart of social media economies (Brock, 2020). Coupled with the self-promotional branding logics of digital platforms, blackfishing spotlights the digital and economic tactics available for appropriating and commodifying Black cultural products and practices (Gilroy, 1993;Guadeloupe & de Rooij, 2014;Hall, 1993). This article examines the practice of blackfishing, analyzing the Instagram accounts of four models accused of the practice and treating their digital performances as texts where the intersection of racial identity, appropriation, and commodification are made legible.…”

“…Such logics have become embedded in platforms themselves, resulting in new modes of digital labor like influencing and Instagram modeling in which racial dynamics are both newly afforded and complicated at the heart of social media economies (Brock, 2020). Coupled with the self-promotional branding logics of digital platforms, blackfishing spotlights the digital and economic tactics available for appropriating and commodifying Black cultural products and practices (Gilroy, 1993; Guadeloupe & de Rooij, 2014; Hall, 1993).…”