Forms of Fanonism
Frantz Fanon鈥檚 Critical Theory and the Dialectics of Decolonization
By Reiland Rabaka, associate professor of ethnic studies
Lexington Books
When Frantz Fanon鈥檚 critiques of racism, sexism, colonialism, capitalism and humanism are brought into the ever-widening orbit of Africana critical theory, something unprecedented in the annals of Africana intellectual history happens: five distinct forms of Fanonism emerge.
鈥淔orms of Fanonism: Frantz Fanon鈥檚 Critical Theory and the Dialectics of Decolonization鈥 is discursively distinguished from other engagements of Fanon鈥檚 thought and texts insofar as it is the first study to consciously examine his contributions to Africana Studies and critical theory or, rather, the Africana tradition of critical theory.
鈥淔orms of Fanonism鈥 identifies and intensely analyzes Fanon鈥檚 contributions to the deconstruction and reconstruction of Africana Studies, radical politics and critical social theory.鈥ㄢ↖n highlighting his unique 鈥渟olutions鈥 to the 鈥減roblems鈥 of racism, sexism, colonialism, capitalism and humanism, five distinct forms of Fanonism materialize.
These five forms of Fanonism allow contemporary critical theorists to innovatively explore the ways in which his thought and texts can be dialectically put to use in relieving the wretched experience of this generation鈥檚 wretched use of the earth.
Critics can also apply these forms to deconstruct and reconstruct Africana Studies, radical politics, and critical social theory using their anti-imperialist interests. Throughout 鈥淔orms of Fanonism,鈥 Reiland Rabaka critically dialogues with Fanon, incessantly asking his corpus critical questions and seeking from it crucial answers.
This book, in short, solemnly keeps with Fanon鈥檚 own predilection for connecting critical theory to revolutionary praxis by utilizing his thought and texts as paradigms and points of departure to deepen and develop the Africana tradition of critical theory.