Call for Chapter Abstracts: The​ ​FLOTUS​ ​Effect

Though open about who she was and is, Michelle Obama, the former First Lady of the United States (FLOTUS), was framed as an enigma due to the novelty of her African American presence in what had previously been a White space and place--The White House. Her definitions of self as Mom-in-Chief, an advocate for healthy lifestyles, veterans, and education for girls proved mostly insufficient to move her from the margins of the American psyche to the center of one of the country’s most important stages. Her tenure as FLOTUS perpetually challenged the American imagination and its reality. A descendant of African slaves, her heritage could not be romanticized as a product of Kenya and Kansas like her husband’s, she rather was, and is, the embodiment of what many Americans would hope to wish away - a reminder of the nation’s original sin.

Michelle Obama received and responded to commentary and critiques regarding her body, fashion sense, how she mothered, and her White House initiatives; and she was not even an elected official. She was, however, a public figure and adviser to the president, as well as the first African-American woman to serve in the ceremonial role of First Lady of the United States during her husband, President Barack Obama’s two terms in office (2009-2016). She stepped into the spotlight during the 2008 presidential campaign as the wife of then-Senator Barack Obama who entered the presidential race of 2008; and went on to cultivate an agenda of her own through her White House initiatives on health, wellness, veterans, and education for girls. Her “Let’s Move” campaign or the “Joining Forces” initiative with Dr. Jill Biden are examples of her commitment to the American public, and America itself. Nevertheless, her detractors questioned how progressive Michelle Obama was as a symbol of the women of the United States; and, in fact, many suggested she was a polarizing figure that only spoke to a subset of the American population- namely African Americans. It is within the scope of these noteworthy events, namely the “effect” of the Obamas, and in particular, the impact of a FLOTUS who strived to make the role of First Lady her own, that this volume seeks to mine for understanding, insights, and opportunities to move forward. Additionally, the volume emphasizes approaching issues of Michelle Obama’s politics from the position of representations of her agency rather than positions of her being acted upon due to her politics.

Recognizing the literature highlighting the effects of Michelle Obama on popular culture, fashion, motherhood, and her role of supporting President Barack Obama, we invite chapters for an edited volume that explores of and surrounding the former FLOTUS as a political force. We seek to consider and interrogate the “effects,” short and long term, expected and unexpected, of Michelle Obama’s role as First Lady. Topics may include, but are not limited to, her perception of and her perceived legacy as the first African-American woman to serve in the White House, her positions taken on health and wellness, the commitment to address needs of veterans, her “controversial” statements made during public addresses/speeches, and her stances on issues related to gendered, and racial identities as well as the intersection of these and other identities.

We encourage various theoretical frameworks that allow for the breadth of Michelle Obama’s perceived politics to be explored. Submissions from academic fields such as: political science, history, American Studies, African American Studies, ethnic studies, media studies, philosophy, communication studies, social justice, performance studies/dance, sociology, and law are welcome. Essays from professional journalists, political consultants, community organizers, and others are also desired.

Abstracts (250-500 words) and short bios (100-200 words) should be submitted by Friday, October 27, 2017 for full consideration. Authors will be notified by Wednesday, November 10, 2017. Once selected, contributors’ abstracts and bios will be part of a proposal going forward to the Race, Representations, and American Political Institutions series of Lexington Press. Completed manuscripts are due by Thursday, March 1, 2018. Manuscripts will be peer-reviewed and should be submitted using Times New Roman 12-point font with 1” margins. Chapters should be a maximum 25 pages including references. The American Psychological Association (APA) guidelines for citation style should be utilized.

Please address your queries or concerns to: FLOTUSeffect@gmail.com.

The editors for this volume:

Dr. Heather E. Harris (Howard University) is professor of communication in the Department of Business Communication at Stevenson University. She is the co-editor of the Obama Effect: Multidisciplinary Renderings of the 2008 Campaign (SUNY Press 2010). Her research focuses on representations of Africana women in media, and perceptions of the Obama presidency. Her research has appeared in edited volumes, and academic journals.

Dr. Kimberly R. Moffitt (Howard University) is associate professor in the Departments of American Studies and the Language, Literacy and Culture Ph.D. program and affiliate associate professor in the Department of Africana Studies at the University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC). Her research focuses on mediated representations of marginalized groups as well as the politicized nature of Black hair and the body. She has published three co-edited volumes, including Blackberries and Redbones: Critical Articulations of Black Hair and Body Politics in Africana Communities (Hampton Press, 2010), The Obama Effect: Multidisciplinary Renderings of the 2008 Campaign (SUNY Press, 2010) and The 1980s: A Transitional Decade? (Lexington Books, 2011). She has also published her work in academic journals and several edited volumes. Her current research projects continue to explore the black body such as her work exploring white femininity in Disney’s The Princess and the Frog and the representations of Black males on Disney television programming. She also has a forthcoming co-edited volume on the popular television series, Scandal.