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Summary Politics of Conflict
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Politics of ConflictLecture 1: Violence and/or Politics
Practicalities:
- Written exam
- Seminars are more active that require more participation
1. Introducing the Fanon versus Arendt debate
They are both important tinkers. We can make a caricature of both their ideas. They have
very strong ideas which make them vulnerable.
Fanon on violence in Fanon (1963), The Wretched of the Earth
- Important: thinking about embodiment
- He was an activist-freedom writer.
- Founding member of la négritude
- Didn’t promote violence but at certain moments it is necessary for
change/a better world.
- Wrote his most famous book (The Wretched of the Earth) at the end of his life (had
cancer). It is really honest and pure. Especially in his first chapter he talks about
violence.
- Colonization creating two separate mental worlds: that of the colonizer and the
colonized. This spatial compartmentalization is a strategy of dehumanizing the
colonized. He fiercely critiqued on the ‘colonized intellectuals’ collaborating with the
colonizers, attempting to bridge this divided world and believing in the possibility of
compromise.
Notes on violence
1. Violence as inevitable in (anti-colonial) struggle
In his book, there is also a part from Sartre. Starts from discussion of colonialism.
Colonialism as a spatial organisation. Whit settlers versus natives were separated based on
race. Didn’t interact (bodily or mentally). Fanon calls for change, one has to take over the
other. There is no possibility to come to an agreement.
Secondly he writes that colonialism comes with violence. Hence, decolonization is by
definition a violent process (Coercion, torture, etc.). It is about one suppressing the other. A
particular political strategy of decolonization: to turn this atmospheric violence into violence
directed at the colonial project.
Fanon didn’t like the elite raised in Western institutions. He often put them forward as bridge
between 2 worlds. They are the traitors of the real native people. There is a need for radical
change, a new mindframe.
“if colonialism portrays you as savage, you will start acting as a savage against colonialism”
2. Circular nature of violence
,The violence of the colonizer instigates violence by the oppressed. Sartre describes this as a
mirror. The oppressed see violence by the colonizer and then by their own violence towards
them.
3. The bodily/embodied qualities of violence
Violence is present already. All you need is a lighter for it to explode. Fanon brings frustration
and violence embodied in the picture. There is an energy that needs to be released. This
energy is build up by years of oppression.
4. Violence as a process of ‘realization’ and ‘liberation’
Process of action generates new things, new insights. It ultimately leads to new realities. The
act of doing something together generates more than only the goal.
Coupling of national liberation with a process of personal liberation. You become aware of
power.
Arendt on violence in Arendt (1969) “On Violence”
Hard to pinpoint Arendt ideologically. She wrote an essay as answer to
things she witnessed on her campus. There was increasing violence in
the university campuses in het US, Vietnam war, uprising in Prague,
etc.
There was an increase of influence of Sartre/Fanon in different left-
wing activist circles
Notes on violence
1. Power is the opposite of violence (and should never be conflated)
Wanted to formulate a different approach to power. Power and politics as domination. For
Arendt it is not necessarily about power. Politics isn’t about domination but ideally about
interacting as equals. Violence and power are opposite things.
2. Violence as a political strategy: danger that violence as a means becomes an end in
itself
Danger is violence becomes end and not the means. (<-> Fanon: need this to become
something different).
3. Power is located with the people/deliberation/consensus
4. Violence has no constructive capacity
Quote power of Arendt:
‘Power corresponds to the human ability not just to act but to act in concert. Power is never
the property of an individual; it belongs to a group and remains in existence only so long as
the group keeps together. When we say of somebody that he is “in power” we actually refer
to his being empowered by a certain number of people to act in their name. The moment the
group, from which the power originated to begin with (…), disappears,“his power” also
vanishes’
Power corresponds to the human ability not just to act but to act in concert. Power is never
the property of an individual; it belongs to a group and remains in existence only so long as
the group keeps together. When we say of somebody that he is “in power” we actually refer
to his being empowered by a certain number of people to act in their name. The moment the
,group, from which the power originated to begin with (...), disappears, “his power” also
vanishes.
Collectively, relational thing, process going on
Interaction generates power. Individuals will not be powerful
Because we are different, we can communicate
People rising against state. Power in masses but also tank. Person in tank is
convinced that people should be hit. This is powerful, not the tank itself. Convincing
people is the cause, not shooting them.
Act in concert
Empowered from outside yourself
Arendt not attentive to power inbalances like race-gender- etc. She wants to separate
social from political.
Idealist notion of political realm where differences are always appreciated
Have to convince people of an idea (not in commands)
Conscience comes with acting. Not possible to only imagine this.
We have to be careful of romantisations of violence in movements
Politics and power is a process. Not an means and ends discussion.
Power in numbers. For numbers you need believe, convincing, ideology
, Lecture 2: Violence, power and discipline
Last class:
Relationship between power and violence. Violence can be inherent component of change.
Fanon says that violence will be part of struggle. Arendt doesn’t agree with it (end and
means discussion). Power comes with numbers. You have to make believe in order to
achieve something.
f.e. 1998 Indonesia, Philippines (Arendtian beliefs)
Documentary Cartel Land:
Paramilitary groups become the violence itself by fighting
the cartels. Same with the people from the US. Illustration
of means-end discussion.
Power in numbers: speaking to villages.
The rage that starts dominating you. Also atmospheric
violence, it is present but not always visible.
Leadership: in power of empowered. Different
understanding. Can be seen when Mireles is in plane crash and someone else takes
over. Charismatic leadership versus something else. Not a stable thing.
They see no other option than to use violence. Being stuck in situation where
violence becomes the only viable option.
Today: different manifestations of power and violence. Sometimes subtle everyday manner.
Discussions on situations in 20th century worldwide. Case study is colonialism in current day
Indonesia.
Ann Laura Stoler
She has a certain approach on how to study the world. This is a more
philosophical approach and can be inspiring. Her approach to colonialism
is one that is very different to the one from Fanon.
Book: Carnal Knowledge and Imperial Power
Cover shows generation and gender. You see an older native
woman and you see white children around her. A lot of her analysis
on colonialism is about the intersection of race and gender. They
are not just related to each other but are mutually constitutive. We
can only understand gendered relations if we also understand
changing definitions of racial categories. Adding to that, also class
is taken into consideration.
=> Three components class, gender and race
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