For today’s episode, Tyrell and Daphne welcome Dr. André L. Brock, Jr., an associate professor in the School of Literature, Media, and Communication at Georgia Tech University. During their conversation, Dr. Brock provides insight into his research on Black cyber cultures (24:45) and how his background in rhetoric sparked his ground breaking research on Black Twitter (27:30). Dr. Brock then sheds light on the process and ethics of conducting digital research (29:30). Next, they discuss key topics and themes in his book, Distributed Blackness: African American Cybercultures (39:40). They close the interview by having a conversation about digital Blackface and capturing Blackness online (58:55), respectability politics and ratchetry in online spaces (1:03:55), Dr. Brock’s research on racial representations in video games (1:12:00), and the relationship between politics and Black cyber culture (1:17:38). 

Other Topics Include: 

00:30 - Catch up with Ty and Daphne

6:45 - BhD “Oh Lawd” News

21:45 - Introduction of Today’s Topic 

24:20 - Learn More about Dr. Brock 

1:25:10 -  Ty and Daphne Reflect on the Interview 

Resources:

BhD Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/bhdpodcast 

Dr. Andre Brock website - https://iac.gatech.edu/people/person/andre-brock

Dr. Andre Brock Twitter - @DocDre 

Distributed Blackness: African American Cybercultures - http://opensquare.nyupress.org/books/9781479820375/ 

Tennessee Principal Apologizes For ‘All Lives Matter’ Themed Black History Month - https://www.bet.com/news/national/2021/02/02/tennessee-principal-apologizes-all-lives-matter-themed-black-his.html 

Woman Who Put Gorilla Glue in Hair Finally Able to Cut Off Ponytail - https://www.tmz.com/2021/02/09/gorilla-glue-hair-tiktok-cut-off-ponytail-scalp-burns-needs-surgery/ 

Georgia Senate GOP introduces bills to limit mail voting - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/georgia-senate-gop-introduce-bills-to-limit-mail-voting 

Democrats charge ahead with COVID relief package as impeachment consumes Senate - https://www.cbsnews.com/news/covid-relief-package-impeachment-senate/ 

Progressive Democrats unveil plan to cancel $50,000 of student loan debt - https://www.cbsnews.com/news/student-loan-relief-50k-plan/