Sull'attualità del dispositivo della razza. Spunti critici a partire dal pensiero di W.E.B. Du Bois

The article proposes a re-reading of W.E.B. Du Bois’ The Souls of the Black Folk, focusing on his conceptual contribution to the sociological analysis of the category of “race”. After a brief reference to the intellectual history of this schol ar, who for a long time has not been adequately recognised as one of the founders of American sociology, an overview of the text examined is provided, highlighting the innovative elements through which Du Bois narrated and analysed the pro cess of transition from slavery to the liberation of the African American people. In particular, the focus is on two analytical concepts developed in the volume – the colour line and double consciousness – and their ability to shed light on the pro cesses of social construction of race. Finally, attention is given to the topicality of Du Bois’s thought and the effectiveness of his interpretative perspective to provide a complex and transversal reading of various phenomena that cross contemporary societies, and specifically the Italian one.