CU Boulder race scholar reframes Du Bois’ scholarly legacy

W.E.B. Du Bois is considered one of the most influential thinkers of the modern era—and yet, most of his legacy has been confined to his scholarly work within racial studies. A new book from Reiland Rabaka, an ethnic studies professor and the founding director of the Center for African & African American Studies, challenges that narrative, reframing Du Bois as a foundational figure in an important modern topic: intersectionality.

Intersectionality is the study of how social groupings like gender, race and class intersect and overlap, especially as they pertain to systems of oppression. This new book, Du Bois: A Critical Introduction, argues that, while not fully formed and a bit disjointed, Du Bois’ work was undeniably foundational for this contemporary concept.