Frantz Fanon was an Caribbean and African psychiatrist, philosopher, revolutionary and writer whose works, including Black Skin, White Masks are hugely influential in the fields of post-colonial studies, critical theory, and post-Marxism. His legacy remains with us today, having inspired movements in Palestine, Sri Lanka, the U.S. and South Africa.
Frantz Fanon: Philosopher of the Barricades is a critical biography of his extraordinary life. Peter Hudis draws on the expanse of his life and work – from his upbringing in Martinique and early intellectual influences to his mature efforts to fuse psychoanalysis and philosophy and contributions to the anti-colonial struggle in Algeria – to counter the monolithic assumption that Fanon’s contribution to modern thought is defined by the advocacy of violence. In Hudis’ biography, Fanon emerges as neither armchair intellectual nor intransigent militant. He was a political activist who brought his interests in psychology and philosophy directly to bear on such issues as mutual recognition, democratic participation and political sovereignty. This book will speak to all those engaged in the ongoing search for alternatives to oppressive social relations in the 21st century.