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Draft:Fanonian meaning of national consciousness and its emancipatory praxis

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National consciousness generally refers to a shared sense of national identity as well as an understanding that individuals consider themselves as belonging to a certain group with a common cultural background, ethnicity, and/or language.1 The Fanonian definition of national consciousness takes on a new meaning referring to more than one group identity and, in national identity sciences, has an emancipatory praxis. In the Fanonian context, national consciousness is more than a shared national identity, it is emancipatory in nature, because the process of establishing a national consciousness unifies a divided and oppressed nation. 2, 3, 4 Gordon3 suggest that national consciousness should be regarded as the living representation of the nation since it is the collective consciousness in action of the entire people.

According to Fanon, the fundamental goal of the anti-colonial fight was not just to end the colonial occupation and build an independent nation, but, rather, to reform the state and society as a whole.4 The goal of national consciousness is not solely to depose the colonial regime, but also to construct a nation for and by the people, as is indicated by the following extract from his book, The Wretched of the Earth, captures the essence of national consciousness: "Born out of the concerted action of the people, which embodies the actual aspirations of the people and transforms the state, [and] depends on exceptionally inventive cultural manifestations for its very existence." 5 (p. 179) Thus, national consciousness emphasises the vital role of cultural, social, economic, and political ownership of the colonised nation's political and societal bodies in both the post-independence image of the nation and the anticolonial fight.4 Even though the colonised occupy the same physical territory, Fanon regarded national consciousness as something that unifies a nation because they did believe that they shared a political identity or that they belong to one nation with a potentially sovereign will.2, 3 Therefore, national consciousness can also be regarded as the glue that holds a previously segregated nation together.

National consciousness is a dialectical and continuous phenomenon that requires each generation to accept the next degree of responsibility while seeking to create frameworks that represent local requirements and wishes.3, 5 The development of national consciousness occurs only via purposeful challenges to relationships characterised by subjugation and alienation.3 It takes shape via joint battles to liberate individuals from colonial oppression, and, subsequently, by the bourgeoises, or middle class, of the budding independent nation who intended to utilise it for their own advantage.2

Fanon asserted that it is the duty of the leader to use national consciousness in order to "restore dignity to all its citizens."5 (p. 144). Therefore, it is implied that national consciousness has an emancipatory praxis or social justice aspect.6 This very act of agency and freedom to construct their own identities heals the previously oppressed person by claiming and affirming their personhood.6 National consciousness becomes an expression and the embodiment of the personhood which Fanon termed "new humanism". 6 National consciousness led to the formation of institutions that would lead to the development of a new, free nation and embodies the will of the people, particularly shaped by the lumpenproletariat – constituting one of the most "radically revolutionary forces of a colonised people."2, 5 (p. 81)

References

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  • 2. Biney, A. (2018). Fanonist ‘Pitfalls’ in the Pan-African Movement since 1945. Africa Insight, 48(3). https://hdl.handle.net/10520/EJC-1544b016b4
  • 3. Gordon, J.A. (2011). Revolutionary in Counter-Revolutionary Times: Elaborating Fanonian National Consciousness into the Twenty-First Century. Journal of French and Francophone Philosophy, 19(1), 37–47. https://doi.org/10.5195/jffp.2011.476
  • 4. Sajed, A., & Seidel, T. (2019). Introduction: Escaping the Nation? National Consciousness and the Horizons of Decolonization. Interventions: International Journal of Postcolonial Studies, 21(5), 583–591. https://doi.org/10.1080/1369801x.2019.1581643
  • 5. Fanon, F., Philcox, R., Sartre, J.-P., & Bhabha, H.K. (2004). The pitfalls of national consciousness. In The Wretched of the Earth. Grove Press.
  • 6. Yeh, C.-R. (2013). Existential Thoughts in Fanon’s Post-Colonialism Discourse. Policy Futures in Education, 11(2), 200–215. https://doi.org/10.2304/pfie.2013.11.2.200
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