Counterpublics and Intersectional Radical Resistance: Agitation as Transformation of the Dominant Discourse

Abstract

Abstract This article examines the limitations of rights-based strategies and social movements for advancing the interests of marginalized and intersectionally-subjected populations in the US, and argues that counterpublics offer a viable alternative for populations designated as outsiders to cultivate their power, identities and discourses. While counterpublics are expected to comply with norms of behavior and discourse when attempting to persuade the public, they might find greater utility in rejecting the dominant discourse and decorum in favor of agitation. By privileging their own discourse and decentering the center, the counterpublics retain their power in their interactions with the public and can raise the saliency of their issues as exemplified by the Black Lives Matter movement. In the current context of abnormal justice, the conditions are ripe for counterpublics to unite in an intersectional resistance in pursuit of transformative change as demonstrated by the protests at Standing Rock.