Invited Talk by Dionne Stephens: Anatomies of Control: Tracing the Dehumanizing Construction of Black Womanhood

Dionne Stephens, a professor of psychology at Florida International University, will give an invited talk examining the persistent animalization of Black women’s bodies in research, policy, and popular culture, and how these portrayals shape perception, justify systemic harm, and influence institutional practices. She highlights the need to rethink how Black womanhood is represented, centering dignity and complexity. The talk is hosted by the Department of Psychology and sponsored by the Office of the Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs and Inclusiveness in the Faculty of Health, Black Students in Psychology, and Psychology’s Feminist Voices. It will take place in 164 Behavioural Sciences Building.