In Plenty and in Time of Need: Popular Culture and the Remapping of Barbadian Identity

Description

In Plenty and in Time of Need demonstrates how the unique history of Barbados has contributed to complex relations of national, gendered, and sexual identities, and how these identities are represented and interpreted on a global stage. As the most widespread manifestation of social commentary, the book uses music and performance to analyze the competing ideals and realities of the national culture. It details the histories of prominent musical artists, including the prolific Pan-Africanist calypsonian the Mighty Gabby, the world-renowned Merrymen, Soca Queen Alison Hinds, artist/activist Rupee, and international superstar Rihanna. Using these artists, the project analyzes how femininity, masculinity, and sexuality are put in service of Barbadian nationalism. By examining websites, blogs, and digital products of these artists in conversation with Barbadian tourism, the book re-examines the ways in which commodity, sexuality, gender performance, and diasporic consciousness undergird individual careers and national representations. Cover Series Page Title Page Copyright Dedication Contents Introduction 1. England’s Child, the People’s Nation: Myths of Barbadian National Identity 2. Performing National Identity 3. Caribbean Queen: Afro-Barbadian Femininity and Alison Hinds Performing the Erotic at Home and Abroad 4. “Love You All”: Rupee, Afro-Barbadian Masculinity, Activism, and the Temptations of a Global Pop Market 5. Rihanna: Where Celebrity and Tourism Meet at a Dangerous Crossroads of Representation Conclusion: Celebrating Barbadian Independence: The Golden Jubilee Acknowledgments Permissions Notes Discography Works Cited Index About the Author