Race Essay: Fanon's Racialization

This essay examines Frantz Fanon's concept of racialization, exploring its definition, historical context, and implications. It discusses how Fanon's work helps understand the process of assigning meaning to an individual's attributes based on racial categories. The essay analyzes Fanon's critique of existing definitions of racialization, highlighting its role in creating racialized societies and the perpetuation of racial inequalities across various institutions. It further explores Fanon's insights into the intersection of class and race, emphasizing the economic factors contributing to racial formations. The essay concludes by summarizing Fanon's views on achieving racial equality, advocating for a transformative movement involving both oppressors and oppressed to eliminate primary racial categories and foster mutual understanding.

Race

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
Essay 2: Usefulness of Frantz Fanon's concept of racialization......................................................1
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................4
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................5

INTRODUCTION
Race is defined to be a construct in which people are categorised on the basis of physical
traits, genetics and cultural grounds (Du Bois, 2014). This concept of racial groups has carried a
strong impact upon the manner in which relations are shared within society. This essay focuses
on concept of frantz fanon' concept of racialization.
Essay 2: Usefulness of Frantz Fanon's concept of racialization
Racialization is defined to be a process of assigning a meaning to the particular attribute
of an individual (Guenther, 2013). It is referred to an separate domain in the field of sociology
which people are categorised on the basis of belongingness to a racial group. It aims perceive a
group of people in a racial context. This concept have been developed overtime and relates to
providing con-notions to the people belonging from minority class. In this approach the physical
characteristics are taken as ground for categorisation of people in a community. The concept of
racialization have also resulted in formation of racialized societies which ideas are further
coupled with race. The culture was taken into consideration in the concept of racialization which
has been offered both by Miles and fannon's. The uniqueness in culture of Africans was not
realised by the European which led to concept of racialization. They had formulated their own
distinct culture and assured that it is not similar to any other culture. The definition of
racialization defines that, “it is a systematic classification of people by emphasizing on their
physical characteristics. Upon which all the social relations are analysed.” The present definition
of the racialization have been criticised by numerous scholars. They have identified it as a core
process which assures division of people on racial grounds. It is applicable to all the institutions
such as educational, legal systems and countries. The word race is commonly employed to
people who belong to an indigenous background and individual who are not white. The people
who are white skinned tend to feel more dominant and superior than people belonging to other
ethnicities. This term is helpful in making us aware about the persistent of race even in
contemporary times.
The complexity of this process of race can be identified through which a person is related
to a group or being concluded his existence to a particular group (Go, 2013). This invisible
process assures human beings are racialized. Along with physical characteristics, social and
cultural grounds are also taken into consideration. The major behaviour through which a group is
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able to racialize another is through actions such as asking aggressive questions and averting eye
contact.
Frantz Fannon is recognised as one of the crucial thinker in the 20th century. He
researched on the topic of race as it was making it very difficult for him to carry out his work. He
possessed adequate knowledge from segments such as philosophy literature, Marxism and
psychiatry. Belonging from a black community he was never provided with an opportunity to
combine his work and make it more understandable for people. He is most recognised due to his
contribution and association with the FLN. Fannon identified various components which assisted
in realising concept of racialization. The major account of this theory undertakes analysis of
concept of racial alienation which have encouraged many people to take up this theory and alter
the same for the good (FANON AND THE THEORY OF RACE, 2015). He took Hegelian theory
of as a method to think upon the concept of race and dominance of the white people. He further
manipulated the theory with his pivotal chapter in which he mentioned about struggle which is
encountered by a black man in traditional times. Whereas Hegelian stated that both white and
black people struggled to get the attention and recognition. With this chapter he identified that
there is no open struggle within both parties and its is only historical.
Fannon has been successful in remaining people about the intersection between class and
race and are also identified to be casually related to each other. This criticism helped in better
understanding on the concept of racism and how it relates to financial status of communities.
The area which separate rich from poor are also involved in forming racial formations amongst
the two. It has been identified that economic grounds are tend to be one of major factor which
lead to formation of racial grounds in the social system (Burman, 2016). The concept of equality
was later emphasized upon and has been identified that if people tend to be more economically
equitable there tend to be less of racism. He stated that it is a short-term approach for a longer
view points it is equally essential to incorporate globalisation. It is an approach which
emphasizes upon integrating and exchange of culture and economies with one another.
Fannon stated that racism is not something which is biologically inherited its is an
historical achievement which has been accomplished overtime. The history involving slave trade
and colonisation are mentioned to be origin and development of racism in mankind. The
existence of race is due to presence of external factors such as poverty and social construction.
The comparison which has been carried out among individuals are influences a sense of
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superiority and inferiority among individuals which leads to decline in self-esteem of an
individual. This further identified a scope for resolution so that distinctiveness of a person is
preserved. The contradiction amongst people is to be resolved so that people with higher
influence be able to treat other as an essential being (Hudson and McKittrick, 2014). The
continuous struggle which has been carried out between two different people and communities
results in a victor and a slave. Fannon tried to emphasize upon the roles which are played by the
culture in alteration of social structure. The efforts of the dominant are always emphasized upon
replacement of culture of subdued with its altered one. This process was later embedded into
schools and cultures during that phase. The language however was referred to as a medium
which was used to reduce racism upon self by letting go of individual culture and identities. He
introduced radical changes in being an individual so that he is treated with same amount of
respect as others. For example: A black person can speak language of white people to be
perceived as similar to them. Therefore it is evident that racism is not only economic, but
psychological as well. Fannon identified that if racism is integrated through cultural and historic
means there is a possibility of being liberate. The major grounds through which imposition of
violent behaviour and culture. The possibility of shifting from a backward region to a superior
group has been identified with the helps of fannon's concept of realisation.
Fannon defined that racial equality could only be achieved when there is an elimination
of primary racial categories. This ideal situation could not be achieved through social and
cultural domains. He recommended that there should be movement and communication between
both raced sectors so that racial equality could be established. The concept of building of new
world could not be achieved by a single party. This efforts requires coordination and
cooperation of both oppressor and oppressed. They should possess ideal level of love and
understanding for each other so that needs and can be identified and simultaneously fulfilled.
The transformation movement which is initiated requires an ontological shift in every aspect. By
adopting to the ideologies they are able to become a part of colonised world which perceives
them equal. The framework which has been offered does not include grounds such as sexuality
and integrate all other dimension to create a progressive society. The cultural exchange
intentional and unintentional which has been carried out between west and east have failed to
live up to its expectations. The justification of same is that globalisation which is carried out also
taken into consideration of polarisation such racial practices from one part to another. There have
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been several amendments which are formulated considering rights and interest of people in the
mind. The legislation relating to equality and labour are established so that they are treated as
human beings. The practices which are carried out since colonisation are to eliminated by
uplifting stature of poor and backward people living across the globe. It has been identified that
capitalist structure leads to racism therefore it is suggested that government should adopt
socialist behaviour so that there is increased harmony among people. It is extremely important to
change on social grounds so that status quo is modified.
CONCLUSION
It can be concluded from the above report that both these essays revolve around the era of
slave trade and colonialism. The reason being it is the time which led to conception of ideas of
racism. The theory of racialization which is offered by renowned literature Frankz Fannon
explored the concept racism during 15th century. He explored social and cultural dimension of
concept of racism and identified measure through which it could be improved so that there is an
equitable treatment for the classes.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journal
Guenther, L., 2013. Solitary confinement: Social death and its afterlives (p. 184). Minneapolis:
University of Minnesota Press.
Go, J., 2013. Fanon’s postcolonial cosmopolitanism. European Journal of Social Theory. 16(2).
pp.208-225.
Burman, E., 2016. Fanon’s Lacan and the traumatogenic child: Psychoanalytic reflections on the
dynamics of colonialism and racism. Theory, Culture & Society. 33(4). pp.77-101.
Hudson, P. J. and McKittrick, K., 2014. The geographies of blackness and anti-blackness: an
interview with Katherine McKittrick. The CLR James Journal. 20(1/2). pp.233-240.
Online
FANON AND THE THEORY OF RACE. 2015. [Online]. Available through:
<http://unityandstruggle.org/2015/04/13/fanon-and-the-theory-of-race/>.
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