Talk:Decolonizing, National Culture, and the Negro Intellectual Group 8

Although I don't really think we would address to the specific Canadian social inequality based on race in this class (since we are a social theory class), I do believe that decolonization mentioned in this reading would be one of the most important tools to solve the oppression to Indigenous people here in Canada. It's kind of horrific to see how the colonization has been serve as such an significant factor in oppression to Indigenous people, especially Indigenous women. For example, the negative media portrayal of the Indigenous women, those stereotyping are all the products of a colonized society. Since they are the minority group within our society, governments used all these methods to disvalue theses people.

Given the above statement, has decolonization actually occurred in its fullest? It would seem reasonable to think so given the passage of time and the effective placement of the Constitution, and yet Indigenous peoples continue to not only be corralled into reserves, under surveillance much more so (c.f., racial profiling), and arguably continue to be viewed as inferior or subordinate especially in regards to Westerners. The text indicates that violence is a necessary factor in decolonization, and there is no doubt that many Indigenous persons fought back against the initial colonialists. However, as history portrays, it is clear that the colonial weaponry was far superior (in the sense of effectiveness) and that the Indigenous people of Canada were not victorious, which begs the question – if the colonials won in the confrontation, and the subjugated peoples continue to be disadvantaged, then has decolonization actually occurred?

Jaden's question, "has decolonization actually occurred in its fullest", is indeed a contentious issue. Politically, it can be argued that the establishment of the Canadian Constitution, and with it, the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, has led decolonization to happen. Socially, however, is where we can question whether decolonization has been fully achieved. As sociology students we learn that formal politics and the practical social applications of those policies are not in concert. That is, even though the Charter exists, this may not lead a Canadian citizen to feel fully protected by their entitled rights. Thus, they can still feel subject to feelings of inferiority, subordination, being othered...etc. For example, we can see the double standards that exist in the case of "Blacks [being] three times more likely to be carded than whites" in Toronto. These are real present day issues that leave a giant question mark−where and how does our Charter fit in with this?

This leads me to, quite confidently, note that we cannot simply turn a blind eye from colonization and say that it has been fixed with the recognition of our rights as Canadian citizens. While this certainly has played a huge role in actioning towards the process of decolonization, colonization cannot be simply erased with such a political movement. Canada's far cry from achieving decolonization can be realistically seen in the history with Indigenous peoples. To the present day, failure of full decolonization can be seen in how there are still subtle ways in which unfair treatment and practices still permeate systematically and ideologically. Furthermore, Fannon indicates that "decolonization is quite simply the substitution of one "species" of mankind by another" and "the substitution is unconditional, absolute, total, and seamless" (283). Seen in this way, there has been no substitution in the case of the Indigenous people. This minority group is by no stretch substituting the ruling majority "unconditional[ly], absolute[ly], total[ly], or seamless[ly]" (283).

Along the similar lines as Jaden's question, I have a further question to raise: can decolonization ever be achieved? Fannon emphasizes on decolonization as a historical process, and that it is a gradual and continuous movement. Thus, rather than looking at decolonization and wondering if it is either achieved or not achieved, perhaps we have to look at it in terms of its magnitude. Alternatively, we have to ask: how much of decolonization has been fulfilled?

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From Frantz Fanon and the Negro Intellectual, we can tell that the First Congress of the African Society for Culture declared the “Negroes” as an acceptable civil status in 1956. But colonized think Africa America should go back to their unknown root, so they can break away from white supremacy. It is true that its really hard for people who come from a total different background of growth to suit a new society, but does it mean they should back to their hometown or just keep everything same as usual, not change themselves to fit in the society? Like the indigenous people in Canada, should they keep and spread their culture or forget about it and learn the white Canadian culture? The multiculturalism which Canadian government promote now is facing a challenge, almost seventy percent local people think minority should try to learn Canadian main stream culture and behave like a local person.​ ​So how to make ​multiculturalism happen with support from indigenous people and local people become a question.​