Resisting the War on 'Woke' : Autoethnographic Narratives of Struggle, Defiance, and Hope

In Resisting the “War on Woke”: Autoethnographic Narratives of Struggle, Resistance, and Hope, a collection of scholars working across the United States – in both red and blue states alike – present first-hand, evocative autoethnographic accounts of the profound effects that anti-DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) legislation and policy have had on faculty, staff, students, and the broader public in the wake of the so-called "war on woke". As radical right-wing politicians continue to use pseudointellectual tactics to target what they consider divisive ideologies in both scholarly and everyday contexts – finding ground by leveraging insincere and manufactured “concern” for the safety of groups like women and children – scholars argue that combatting these narratives by centering the lived experiences of directly-involved stakeholders is more crucial now than ever. Through diverse, honest, and compelling personal narratives, an impressive roster of contributors assembled by editors Lori West Peterson, Lisa Tillmann, and Nicole Richter harness the power of autoethnographic methods to demonstrate how “anti-woke” backlash threatens academic freedom, compromises personal and professional wellbeing, and endangers safety for the very demographics this legislation claims to protect. Just as importantly, these narratives also shine a light on how both individuals and communities continue to resist oppression and uphold their own values, even when the current landscape seems poised against them. Ultimately, Resisting the “War on Woke” adopts a hopeful outlook as contributors reflect on what can be learned from their struggles and how we might apply these lessons to fight back against regressive agendas in both academic and civic contexts.