This thesis puts forward a dialogue between postcolonial philosophy and psychoanalysis as a way of furthering the development of contemporary decolonial theory. Analysing the example of the Dutch...Show moreThis thesis puts forward a dialogue between postcolonial philosophy and psychoanalysis as a way of furthering the development of contemporary decolonial theory. Analysing the example of the Dutch king Willem-Alexander offering official appologies to the Indonesian state, a reading of Frantz Fanon through the lens of Jacques Lacan's psychoanalytic theory provides the fundament for showing how this effort at postcolonial reconciliation is lacking, and how this example can be used for furthering the development of postcolonial thinking.Show less
Burkina Faso is a West African state that continues to experience political troubles that stem from previous colonial rule. For four years in the 1980s there was a possibility that Burkina Faso...Show moreBurkina Faso is a West African state that continues to experience political troubles that stem from previous colonial rule. For four years in the 1980s there was a possibility that Burkina Faso could develop into a country capable of benefiting the majority of the population. However, following the assassination of Thomas Sankara, this hope did not extend beyond the four years he was in power. The recent uprisings, starting in 2014, have re-ignited past hopes of what Burkina Faso could have been and what it could yet be. The philosophies and actions of Frantz Fanon and Thomas Sankara remain relevant in understanding the reasons why Burkina Faso has not experienced the benefits that independence should have brought. They are also reference points for understanding how a favourable society might come about for the Burkinabé. Political social movements alone have had short term successes with regards to potentially changing the political governance of this West African State. What is important for the future of Burkina Faso is turning these short-term political gains into long-term political reality. It seems that governments, social movements and musicians combined will continue to have the most impact upon the future of Burkinabé civil society.Show less
The Black Panther Party grew out of the civil rights era in the 1960s to form a movement aimed at protecting African-Americans from police brutality and the social injustices that stemmed from...Show moreThe Black Panther Party grew out of the civil rights era in the 1960s to form a movement aimed at protecting African-Americans from police brutality and the social injustices that stemmed from living in a racist society hellbent on ensuring the underdevelopment of Black communities. In seeking to explore and understand the growth of the International section of the Black Panther Party (BPP) from its base in Oakland, California to the Mediterranean coast of Algeria, this project will come across a variety of primary and academic sources that address the various influences and actions partaken in this journey. Whilst relatively short lived in its mission, the internationalisation of the BPP involved numerous actors, among whom, many have released autobiographies and memoirs detailing the unfolding of events that occurred between the years 1969-1972, alongside video speeches and declarations pertaining to such events. Yet, in order to truly appreciate this often forgotten part of the Black Panthers’ history, the years of revolutionary struggle dedicated to fighting for the rights of Black people across the world, and in the case of this project notably in the United States, albeit not solely, must also be taken into account. This is particularly important as tracing the influences of Black philosophical thinkers of the 20th Century such as W.E.B. Du Bois, Frantz Fanon and Malcolm X on more contemporary movements, such as the Black Panther Party, is often not done so to the extent that such major influences deserve. The usefulness of highlighting the actions partaken by the BPP prove timely in assessing the current political climate faced by members of the African diaspora all over the globe, notably in the United States with the continued growth of the Black Lives Matter movement.Show less
Bachelor thesis | Cultural Anthropology and Development Sociology (BSc)
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My main interest is to investigate the adjustment of the young returning migrants to the Caribbean. Attention will be paid to their status in terms of cultural adjustment and settlement. The...Show moreMy main interest is to investigate the adjustment of the young returning migrants to the Caribbean. Attention will be paid to their status in terms of cultural adjustment and settlement. The gendered nature of their experience of return migration will be specifically considered. How race intersects and impacts the processes of return migration will be also examined. Special attention will be given to the socio-economic aspect of the young returnee’s lives; here the position of the young returnee in the employment market is going to be analyzed. By concentrating on this relatively small group I take distance from populations such as returning retirees which has been widely studied in the Caribbean migration studies.Show less
