Reviews tagging 'Colonisation'

The Wretched of the Earth by Frantz Fanon

21 reviews

katharina90's review against another edition

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challenging informative reflective medium-paced

4.0

A valuable (psycho)analysis of colonialism and decolonial struggle that remains relevant. 

At times the writing feels a bit dense. Not sure if it's the translation from French to English, or maybe just the style of a different era that I had a hard time connecting with.
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savvylit's review against another edition

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challenging informative slow-paced

4.0

Despite being published about sixty years ago, The Wretched of the Earth is still an incredibly relevant work. Fanon's experience as a resident of Algeria during the French invasion allowed him to envision the myriad obstacles that could and would arise on a people's path to revolution and freedom. This portion of the book, which covers the first two-thirds, is very theory-heavy but enlightening nonetheless.

The last third of The Wretched of the Earth is composed of case studies from Fanon's work as a psychiatrist in Algeria. The case studies cover a range of folks from colonizer to colonized, from youth to elderly, and are a disturbingly fascinating look at how colonization traumatizes everyone. Fanon's case studies demonstrate the fact that to be colonized is to have trauma. This portion demonstrates the need for freedom from occupation in a manner that is both chilling and undeniable. If only we, as a global society, could heed Fanon's call.
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funeraldancer's review

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challenging emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective slow-paced

5.0

Masterful, poetic work describing the heinous psychosocial effects that colonization has on the colonized. 
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nahar's review against another edition

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challenging emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

5.0

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woweewhoa's review against another edition

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challenging informative reflective slow-paced

4.75

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chandrika_moka's review against another edition

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hopeful informative tense slow-paced

2.5

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lochlemon's review against another edition

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challenging dark informative slow-paced

5.0

Essential reading. Slow going, but thorough and rightfully so. Every angle of the impact of colonisation is unpacked, giving context to the big crescendo chapter at the end that will stay with me forever. This goes way beyond a history lesson of the Algerian War. This is drawing connections and understanding the blueprint for racism, generational trauma, settler colonialism and so much more. Wretched of the Earth has allowed me to gain new perspectives on my family history as a North African, and I can guarantee this would be equally helpful to anyone whose country is scarred by colonialism.
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maurits's review against another edition

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challenging dark hopeful informative medium-paced

3.25

Someone's got their head on straight! 
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azulcena's review against another edition

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challenging informative sad tense slow-paced

4.75

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coldcojones's review against another edition

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challenging dark informative reflective slow-paced

4.75

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