Alienation, Consciousness, and Ecology: Thinking with Paulette Nardal and Suzanne Cesaire
Rosa O鈥機onnor Acevado, Michigan State University
Friday, November 6th at 3:30
Marquette Hall Room 105
In 1932, the Martinique intellectual, Paulette Nardal called for the 鈥渁wakening of race consciousness鈥� in the short manifesto 鈥�尝鈥櫭塿别颈濒 de la conscience de race chez les 茅迟耻诲颈补苍迟蝉 noirs,鈥� published in the short-lived journal La Revue du Monde Noir. For this presentation, I will expand Frantz Fanon鈥檚 insights on racial alienation and consciousness with the philosophies of Paulette Nardal and Suzanne Roussi-Cesaire. Paulette (1932) argues for the awakened development of a mature racial consciousness as a response to racial and cultural alienation. This awakening, Paulette asserts, is imperative to grasp the political and existential situation in the Francophone Caribbean in particular, and the existential condition of Black people in the African diaspora. I will contrast Paulette鈥檚 1932 elucidations about the problem of alienation with Frantz Fanon鈥檚 diagnosis of Negrophobia in Black Skin, White Masks (1952), a text written two decades after 狈补谤诲补濒鈥檚 essay. With the support of additional texts written by Paulette, 鈥淎cts of Grace鈥� (1929) and 鈥淚n Exile鈥� (1929), this presentation enriches Fanon鈥檚 philosophy on alienation with 狈补谤诲补濒鈥檚 reflections about the effects of France winter weather on aged Martinique women and the longing to return to the native land, ten years prior to Aim茅 Cesaire鈥檚 Notebook of a Return to the Native Land (1939). I close my presentation by connecting Nardal and Fanon鈥檚 insights with Roussi-Cesaire's account about the contradictory relationships with Caribbean ecology, one that conceals the violence of colonialism, militarism, and exploitation but that also offers avenues to breakdown the dichotomies between the human and nature.
Classical German Philosophy Reading Group
Meets Thursdays, 12pm-1pm, in MH418. In Fall 25, reading Kant's Groundwork for the Metaphysics of Morals. For more information, contact Michael Olson.
Greek Philosophy Reading Group
Meets Fridays, 9am, in person (MH102) and online. Email Owen Goldin for details.
Indigenous Philosophy Reading Group
Meets every Thursday, 3:30pm, either in person (MH102) or via Teams. Email Caden Page for the Teams link.
Gloria Anzald煤a Reading Group
Meets every other week on Tuesdays, 10am-11am, in the downstairs lounge space, with virtual options available upon request. Contact Emily Lange for details.
Marquette Midwest Seminar in Ancient and Medieval Philosophy
For more information, visit the or contact Owen Goldin.
Grad Student Peer Workshop
Usually meets every other Friday, 3:30pm-4:30pm. For more information, contact Emily Lange.
