180080 SE Jean-Paul Sartre and Frantz Fanon (2019S)
Anti-Racism, Anti-Colonialism, Politics of Emancipation
Continuous assessment of course work
Labels
Registration/Deregistration
Note: The time of your registration within the registration period has no effect on the allocation of places (no first come, first served).
- Registration is open from Th 07.02.2019 09:00 to We 13.02.2019 10:00
- Registration is open from We 20.02.2019 09:00 to Tu 26.02.2019 10:00
- Deregistration possible until Su 31.03.2019 23:59
Details
max. 30 participants
Language: English
Lecturers
Classes (iCal) - next class is marked with N
The focus of this seminar (to be held in English) is formed by texts written by Jean-Paul Sartre and Frantz Fanon dealing with the topics of racism, colonialism and emancipatory politics. The relevant texts are presented and analyzed in a chronological manner in order to both illuminate the theoretical itineraries of Sartre and Fanon and to sketch the critical dialogue between these two thinkers. Moreover, the question will be addressed as to whether recent post-colonial readings of Fanon (for instance, by Homi Bhaba) that often either reject Sartre’s influence or consider it to be a deplorable anachronism do justice to Fanon’s thinking. This seminar examines not only Sartre’s and Fanon’s respective conceptions of anti-Semitism, (anti-black) racism, and of emancipatory politics, but (potentially) also their relationship to psychoanalysis, feminism, anti-colonialism, cultural politics, violence, and humanism.
- Monday 18.03. 11:30 - 13:00 Hörsaal 3F NIG 3.Stock
- Monday 20.05. 08:00 - 11:15 Hörsaal 3C, NIG Universitätsstraße 7/Stg. II/3. Stock, 1010 Wien
- Tuesday 21.05. 08:00 - 11:15 Hörsaal 3C, NIG Universitätsstraße 7/Stg. II/3. Stock, 1010 Wien
- Wednesday 22.05. 08:00 - 11:15 Hörsaal 3F NIG 3.Stock
- Monday 03.06. 08:00 - 11:15 Hörsaal 3C, NIG Universitätsstraße 7/Stg. II/3. Stock, 1010 Wien
- Tuesday 04.06. 08:00 - 11:15 Hörsaal 3C, NIG Universitätsstraße 7/Stg. II/3. Stock, 1010 Wien
- Monday 17.06. 08:00 - 11:15 Hörsaal 3C, NIG Universitätsstraße 7/Stg. II/3. Stock, 1010 Wien
- Tuesday 18.06. 08:00 - 11:15 Hörsaal 3C, NIG Universitätsstraße 7/Stg. II/3. Stock, 1010 Wien
Information
Aims, contents and method of the course
Assessment and permitted materials
In order to receive a grade for the seminar, either a presentation has to be given (30 – 35 minutes; the presentation has to be fully elaborated and submitted in written form on the day of the presentation! The written form of the presentation has to be 10 pages (1 ½ spaces) long; also, presenter have to provide a 1-page hand-out for all the seminar participants on the day of their presentation), or a paper has to be written (at least 20 pages, 1 ½ spaces). The presentations are to be chosen during the preliminary meeting on March 18th, 11:30 – 13:00, Hörsaal 3F (NIG). The topic of the paper should be determined in consultation with the instructor.
Minimum requirements and assessment criteria
The seminar will be conducted in form of close readings, presentations, and class discussions; it provides students with opportunity to hone their presentational and writing skills. Therefore, attendance is strictly required! Students are expected to be fully prepared, to have read the respective texts, and to engage in class discussion!
As to the didactics of the seminar, it consists of presentations and class discussions. All texts to be discussed are made available in form of a reader. The seminar provides a survey of Sartre’s and Fanon’s seminal writings on racism, colonialism, and emancipatory politics.
As to the didactics of the seminar, it consists of presentations and class discussions. All texts to be discussed are made available in form of a reader. The seminar provides a survey of Sartre’s and Fanon’s seminal writings on racism, colonialism, and emancipatory politics.
Examination topics
The seminar participants read and examine the following seminal texts by Sartre and Fanon: May 20th, 8:00 – 11:15, Hörsaal 3C (NIG), Anti-Semite and Jew. May 21st, 8:00 – 11:15, Hörsaal 3C (NIG), Black Orpheus; Black Skin, White Masks. May 22nd, 8:00 – 11:15, Hörsaal 3F (NIG), Black Skin, White Masks; Racism and Culture; Algeria Unveiled. June 3rd, 8:00 – 11:15, Hörsaal 3C (NIG), Colonialism Is A System; Albert Memmi’s The Colonizer and the Colonized; Excerpts from The Critique of Dialectical Reason. June 4th, 8:00 – 11:15, Hörsaal 3 C (NIG), Preface to The Wretched of the Earth; The Wretched of the Earth. June 17, 8:00 – 11.15, Hörsaal 3C (NIG), The Wretched of the Earth. June 18th, 8:00 – 11:15, Hörsaal 3C (NIG), The Political Thought of Patrice Lumumba; On Genocide.
Reading list
The seminar participants closely read the following texts: Anti-Semite and Jew; Black Orpheus (in: What Is Literature and Other Essays); Black Skin, White Masks; Racism and Culture (in: Toward the African Revolution); Algeria Unveiled (in: A Dying Colonialism); Colonialism Is A System (in: Colonialism and Neocolonialism); Albert Memmi’s The Colonizer and the Colonized (Colonialism and Neocolonialism); Excerpts from The Critique of Dialectical Reason; Preface to The Wretched of the Earth (in: Colonialism and Neocolonialism); The Wretched of the Earth; The Political Thought of Patrice Lumumba (in: Colonialism and Neocolonialism); On Genocide.
RECOMMENDED SECONDARY LITERATURE:
Hannah Arendt, On Violence. Harcourt Publishers 1970.
Alain Badiou, The Meaning of Sarkozy. London and New York: Verso 2008.
Robert Bernasconi, Fanon’s The Wretched of the Earth as Fulfillment of Sartre’s Critique of Dialectical Reason. In: Sartre International Studies, vol. 16, no. 3, pp. 36 – 47.
Homi Bhaba, Remembering Fanon. In Rethinking Fanon, ed. Nigel Gibson. Amherst: Humanity Books 1999, pp. 176 – 196.
Judith Butler, Violence, Nonviolence: Sartre and Fanon. In: Race After Sartre: Antiracism, Africana Existentialism, Postcolonialism, ed. J. Judaken. Albany: SUNY Press 2008, pp. 211 – 231.
Nigel Gibson, Fanon: The Postcolonial Imagination. Cambridge: Polity Press 2003.
Nigel Gibson (ed.): Living Fanon: Global Perspectives. New York: Palgrave MacMillan 2011.
Peter Hallward, Absolutely Postcolonial. Manchester and New York: Manchester University Press, 2001.
Peter Hallward, Fanon and Political Will. In: Living Fanon: Global Perspectives, pp. 213 – 224.
Erik M. Vogt, Slavoj Zizek und die Gegenwartsphilosophie. Vienna – Berlin: Turia + Kant 2011.
Erik M. Vogt, Jean-Paul Sartre und Frantz Fanon. Vienna – Berlin: Turia + Kant 2012.
RECOMMENDED SECONDARY LITERATURE:
Hannah Arendt, On Violence. Harcourt Publishers 1970.
Alain Badiou, The Meaning of Sarkozy. London and New York: Verso 2008.
Robert Bernasconi, Fanon’s The Wretched of the Earth as Fulfillment of Sartre’s Critique of Dialectical Reason. In: Sartre International Studies, vol. 16, no. 3, pp. 36 – 47.
Homi Bhaba, Remembering Fanon. In Rethinking Fanon, ed. Nigel Gibson. Amherst: Humanity Books 1999, pp. 176 – 196.
Judith Butler, Violence, Nonviolence: Sartre and Fanon. In: Race After Sartre: Antiracism, Africana Existentialism, Postcolonialism, ed. J. Judaken. Albany: SUNY Press 2008, pp. 211 – 231.
Nigel Gibson, Fanon: The Postcolonial Imagination. Cambridge: Polity Press 2003.
Nigel Gibson (ed.): Living Fanon: Global Perspectives. New York: Palgrave MacMillan 2011.
Peter Hallward, Absolutely Postcolonial. Manchester and New York: Manchester University Press, 2001.
Peter Hallward, Fanon and Political Will. In: Living Fanon: Global Perspectives, pp. 213 – 224.
Erik M. Vogt, Slavoj Zizek und die Gegenwartsphilosophie. Vienna – Berlin: Turia + Kant 2011.
Erik M. Vogt, Jean-Paul Sartre und Frantz Fanon. Vienna – Berlin: Turia + Kant 2012.
Association in the course directory
Last modified: Mo 07.09.2020 15:36
This seminar provides an introduction into the socio-political thought of Jean-Paul Sartre and Frantz Fanon. The main emphases are on the issues of anti-Semitism, anti-black racism, and emancipatory politics. The seminar demonstrates that neither Sartre’s nor Fanon’s thinking regarding these issues remains static but rather is subjected to decisive modifications. In this context, close attention is paid to Fanon’s critical reply to Sartre’s account of the poetic movement of negritude. At the same time, one can demonstrate that Fanon’s position in “Black Skin, White Masks” ultimately affirms Sartre’s position. On the other hand, Sartre’s insight into colonialism as systemic and structural problem is derived from certain Fanonian texts, while one can identify traces of Sartre’s “Critique of Dialectical Reason” in Fanon’s “The Wretched of the Earth”. In this context, the question of different forms of organized emancipatory politics is pursued, as well as the issue of violence, particularly in light of Hannah Arendt’s and Judith Butler’s respective criticisms. Finally, the issue of humanism is analyzed in light of the question as to whether one can still claim the idea of humanism without reproducing the historically evident failure of traditional humanism. At this point, one can refer to contemporary discussions (in Alain Badiou, for instance) regarding the relation between generic humanism and anti-humanism.
The seminar participants will read and examine closely the following seminal texts by Sartre and Fanon: May 20th, 8:00 – 11:15, Hörsaal 3C (NIG): Anti-Semite and Jew. May 21st, 8:00 – 11:15, Hörsaal 3C (NIG) Black Orpheus; Black Skin, White Masks. May 22nd, 8:00 – 11:15, Hörsaal 3F (NIG) Black Skin, White Masks; Racism and Culture; Algeria Unveiled. June 3rd, 8:00 – 11:15, Hörsaal 3C (NIG), Colonialism Is A System; Albert Memmi’s The Colonizer and the Colonized; Excerpts from The Critique of Dialectical Reason. June 4th, 8:00 – 11:15, Hörsaal 3C (NIG), Preface to The Wretched of the Earth; The Wretched of the Earth. June 17, 8:00 – 11.15, Hörsaal 3C (NIG),The Wretched of the Earth. June 18th, 8:00 – 11:15, Hörsaal 3C (NIG)The Political Thought of Patrice Lumumba; On Genocide.
All these texts will be provided in form of a reader!