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Nena Carpenter, Ph.D. is a 2026 graduate of the PhD Program in Leadership and Change at Antioch University.

nena carpenter committee

Nena Carpenter at her Dissertation Defense.

From L-R: Dr. Chris Voparil, Committee Member, Dr. Jennifer Raymond, Committee Chair, Dr. Michael Simanga, Committee Member.

Dissertation Committee

  • Jennifer Raymond, PhD, Committee Chair
  • Chris Voparil, PhD, Committee Member
  • Michael Simanga, PhD, Committee Member

Keywords

Beyoncé, feminism, womanism, Black women

Document Type

Dissertation

Publication Date

2026

Abstract

This research explores the latter portion of Beyoncé Knowles-Carter’s career and her distinguishing herself as a womanist/feminist icon. Beyoncé Knowles-Carter has been regarded as a popular music icon since her days as the lead singer in the R&B group Destiny's Child. The group’s music, including songs like "Say My Name" and "Independent Women", have often been recognized by cultural critics as empowerment anthems for women and girls. When Beyoncé performed at the Video Music Awards in 2014, the sample of Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's 2013 Ted Talk on feminism in her song "Flawless" precipitated a more focused discourse about the authenticity of Beyoncé’s identification as a feminist. This dissertation showcases Beyoncé's work as decidedly womanist and provides a deeper look at Beyoncé Knowles-Carter as not just a musical artist but as a womanist activist in her own right. This dissertation is available in open access at AURA (https://aura.antioch.edu/) and OhioLINK ETD Center (https://etd.ohiolink.edu).

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Nena Carpenter

ORCID iD:  #0009-0009-9309-714X

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