bell hooks: podcast appearances and interviews

Gloria Jean Watkins, known by her pen name bell hooks, was an American philosopher, educator, author, and social critic. She was a Distinguished Professor in Residence at Berea College and is best known for her writings on race, feminism, and social class. Her work examined the intersections of race, capitalism, and gender, highlighting their roles in producing and perpetuating systems of oppression and class domination. Bell hooks contributed significantly to the development of the modern concept of intersectionality through her scholarly articles and nearly 40 books, which encompassed essays, poetry, and children's literature. Her diverse body of work addressed themes such as love, gender, art, history, sexuality, and mass media. She began her academic career in 1976 teaching English and ethnic studies at the University of Southern California. Over the years, she held teaching positions at notable institutions including Stanford University, Yale University, New College of Florida, and The City College of New York before joining Berea College in 2004. In 2014, she founded the bell hooks Institute at Berea College. Her pen name was inspired by her maternal great-grandmother, Bell Blair Hooks, and was styled in lowercase to shift the focus from her identity to the substance of her work.