Black Feminist Strategies for Right-Wing Studies

When researchers wade into work on the far right, they inevitably emerge transformed in some way.Despite the fact that fields like sociology (my own home ground) persistently cling to ideas of objectivity, the conversations I have with other researchers often involve the emotional and mental damage we feel after engaging in our research.Surely not all researchers feel the same way, particularly those whose political and social position are in alignment with their object of study.This essay is not for them.As a Black trans feminist who studies gay men's participation in right-wing (and often farright) social movements, I find that my research takes a heavy toll.Days, months, and years immersed in texts warning of the dangers of "mulatto glitter fairies" and calling for the extermination of people who look, act, and sound like me cannot be approached from a place of objectivity.Yet, despite this I remain committed to the work I do.It feels increasingly important as the systems Dylan Rodriguez terms "multicultural white supremacy" become pervasive and ubiquitous. 1 Here, I aim to deepen the conversations scholars of right-wing studies are engaged in by framing our work with the tools and skills developed by Black feminists.First, I explore how Black feminism responds to what we popularly term "burnout" and how scholars of far-right movements can engage in these practices to promote healing.After laying this groundwork, I turn to challenging us all to think about the purpose of our work.These two points are aspects of the same analysis, an analysis that centers dignity and care as essential to resisting disposability and to orienting our scholarly work.Finally, I end with a call to action, building on the work of right-wing studies scholar and Black feminist activist Ida B. Wells-Barnett. Black FeminismBefore diving into how this framework is helpful for scholars of right-wing studies, I want to establish the commitments and orientation of Black feminism.Patricia Hill Collins argues that a core component of Black feminist thought is the recognition