Question.3594 - Week 4 Readings (chapters and article): Actions Fanon, Franz 1961. “On National Culture” and “Colonial War and Mental Disorders” in The Wretched of the Earth pp. 145-234. Actions Mbembe, Achille 1992. “Provisional Notes on the Postcolony”. Journal of the International African Institute 62(1): 3-37. Actions Film: “Mubutu” Part 1Links to an external site. “Mubutu” Part 2Links to an external site. “Mubutu” Part 3Links to an external site. “Mubutu” Part 4Links to an external site. “Mubutu” Part 5Links to an external site.
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Week 4 Response Paper Asia Morgan Florida International University AFA5005/4930: African and African Diaspora Studies Theory; Professor Dr. Andrea Queeley September 23rd, 2024 Week 4 Response Paper Considering the journal by Achille Mbembe's (1992) the main argument revolves around postcolonial authority in relation a complex characterization of an interplay between domination, negotiation and resistance from the marginalized community, wherein Mbembe tends to challenges stereotypical binary categories like resistance vs. passivity, autonomy versus subjection, and state versus civil society; while Mbembe implies there is a need for looking from the postcolonial power as a "banality of power" that involves both the exercise of authority and the subversion of it. While considering Olaniyans paper (2001) which argues Fela Anikulapo-Kuti's musical practice embodies a complex interplay between nativism and cosmopolitanism from the notion that the music reflects a desire to reclaim African authenticity while simultaneously engaging with global cultural influences addressing the tension between nativism and cosmopolitanism to comprehend an artistic influence over political significance. On the other hand, videos related Mobutu talks about multifaceted argument his dictatorship in Democratic Republic of Congo from the perspective of neo-colonialism with the Belgian colonial system being replaced by a domestically controlled but externally supported dictatorship and also according to my understanding the role of African agency in shaping post-colonial trajectories, his leadership style was depicting authoritarian as a product of complex political and socioeconomic factors within DRC and its influence over global political landscape ( Mobutu, n.d.). Key Ideas and Questions From Mbembes (1992) paper some of the intriguing ideas are: The Banality of Power that implies mundane way in which power was contested during postcolonial societies in order to challenges power being repressive, secondly, by exploring complex subjectivity of postcolonial era which was caught between demands colonial state vs. attaining autonomy which also included the role of culture within a part of language or rituals that was utilized to construct power. Considering the insights obtained from Olaniyans paper (2001), some of the key ideas include the interplay between Nativism and Cosmopolitanism by introducing the concept of antinomies implying the contradictions and tussle opposing ideas, while in Felas case the antinomies are nativism and cosmopolitanism questioning contradictory concepts can coexist within a single artistic practice, wherein artistic culture was utilized to serve as a pathway to communicate societal and political ideologies, here music depicted as a powerful tool to critique the structure of neo-colonialism, corruption in terms of how it had rooted itself among the people, and social injustices in varied form. Thirdly, Mobutu's video from part 1 to 4 implies the role of transatlantic slave trade in shaping African histories in terms of how it endured the impact on the DRC's colonial history and subsequent post-colonial struggles within the scope of legacy of slavery casting a burden on socioeconomic factors, secondly, video also talks about neo-colonialism from the context of demanding formal independence wherein DRC was sustained as a subject to external control and exploitation questioning the nature of power related to colonial Africa to attain true sovereignty ( Mobutu, n.d.). Addressing These Ideas (Evidence) There is a range of evidences utilized by Mbembe (1992) to support the claim, wherein in terms of analyzing historical datasets from postcolonial African era by drawing scholarly aid from Michel Foucault, Mikhail Bakhtin, and Antonio Gramsci to develop his theoretical framework to evaluate certain real-time case studies to imply credibility of the information. Secondly, considering Olaniyans research (2001), some of the key points included: how art form (music allied with lyrics) was utilized to alter public persona through a unique blend of African rhythms like jazz interlinked with funk music with an intent to speak political and social issues and also critiquing neo-colonialism in order to challenge conventional norms. The videos from part 1 to 4 spoke about Mobutu's consolidation of authority and the challenged DRC faced during his rule like how the support system fluctuated from Belgium, the United States, and other Western nations implying Mobutu's regime was not independent and also how Mobutus regime exploited socioeconomic structure emphasizing foreign interests at the cost of DRCs population which in turn manipulated the culture to promote authenticit? by suppressing dissenting voices in all the forms, while possessing control over cultural narratives ( Mobutu, n.d.). Critical Reflection and Engagement I believe although Mbembe's (1992) concept of "banality of power" was intriguing, it misses out from assessing the complex structure of postcolonial power trends related to the role of overt violence and repression, wherein within the scope of complex interplay of resistance and complicity there is a need to explore factors that influenced the communities choices that shaped political institutions. Olaniyans (2001) insight about Fela's music overlooks the complexities and nuances of his artistic vision, and also considering the role of gender without assessing womens role in the societal structure, which in turn reinforced patriarchal norms. Thirdly, considering the video, the rise and fall of the copper market, the implementation of Zarianization, and the country's reliance on foreign aid illustrate the interconnectedness of the DRC's economy with global markets and financial institutions which tends to overlook the agency of African leaders and the complexities of internal dynamics ( Mobutu, n.d.). References Fanon, Franz 1961. On National Culture and Colonial War and Mental Disorders in The Wretched of the Earth pp. 145-234. Mbembe, Achille 1992. Provisional Notes on the Postcolony . Journal of the International African Institute 62(1): 3-37. Mobutu. (n.d.). https://mediaweb.fiu.edu/Mediasite/Play/87286ebee55540dca731ebe8f83c2fbf1d Olaniyan, T. (2001). The cosmopolitan nativist: Fela Anikulapo-Kuti and the antinomies of postcolonial modernity.?Research in African Literatures,?32(2), 76-89.More Articles From History
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