Project Title

Sisters Confront Systems: The Politics of Producing and Consuming Black Women’s Self-Help

Research Topic 

Diana's doctoral project examines the production and consumption of black women’s self-help books in the Anglo-American sphere. In recent years, against the backdrop of accelerating social inequalities in the US and UK, there has been a sharp increase in the number of self-help books written by black women for black women. Situated in the field of feminist media studies, Diana's research aims to explore how these books shape the daily lives of black women. Through the lens of labour, she seeks to uncover the types of work black women consumers and cultural producers undertake to meet the demands of reading and writing self-help books. This research is funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC).

Biography

Diana holds a BA in Politics from King’s College London and an MSc in African Studies from the University of Oxford. Prior to starting her PhD, she worked as an analyst in a technology research firm and as a higher education administrator with varied responsibilities in research impact, postgraduate admissions, and widening participation. She has an overarching interest in cultural criticism, black studies, and the sociology of consumption. 

Supervisors

Professor Shani Orgad and Dr Simidele Dosekun.