,ESS5TIALISM & ! ,PROBLEM ( ,ID5TITY ,POLITICS #bd ,PEOPLE 3 ,AU?OR 3 ,LAWR5CE ,J>A* ,TEXT 3 ,PRELIM9>Y ,!SES = A ,LONG] ,DISCUSSION ON ,ESS5TIALISM & ! ,PROBLEM ( ,ID5TITY ,POLITICS ,ESS5TIALISM IS ! IDEA ?AT !RE EXI/S SOME DETECTIBLE & OBJECTIVE CORE QUALITY ( P>TICUL> GR\PS ( PEOPLE ?AT IS 9H]5T1 ET]NAL1 & UNALT]ABLE2 GR\P+S CAN BE CATEGORIZ$ ACCORD+ TO !SE QUALITIES ( ESS5CE1 :I* >E BAS$ ON SU* PROBLEMATIC CRIT]IA AS G5D]1 RACE1 E?NICITY1 NATIONAL ORIG91 SEXUAL ORI5TATION1 & CLASS4 ,!SE EXT]NAL QUALITIES >E ALMO/ ALWAYS M>K$ BY VISUAL CUES1 MAK+ ! CATEGORIES MORE OBVI\S &_/OR EASI] TO NOTICE4 ,!SE QUALITIES CONTA9 SOCIAL & -- MORE IMPORTANTLY FROM AN ANTIAU?ORIT>IAN P]SPECTIVE -- HI]>*ICAL SIGNIFICANCE TO ?OSE M>K+ ! CUES & ?OSE M>K$ BY ! CUES3 SEXISM1 9 ! CASE ( G5D]2 RACISM 9 ! CASE ( SK9 TONE2 ! UNWANT$ ATT5TION ( AU?ORITIES 9 ! CASE ( ANY & ALL DIFF]5T LOOK+_/ACT+ PEOPLE4 ,RACISM1 SEXISM1 CLASSISM1 & MO/ O!R =MS ( HI/ORICAL OPPRESSION >E IDEOLOGIES & POLICIES MA9TA9$ & JU/IFI$ BY ESS5TIALISM4 ,= A P]SON OR GR\P ( PEOPLE ON ! RECEIV+ 5D ( RACISM & SEXISM 7ETC471 ESS5TIALISM CAN APPE> TO BE A P[]FUL DEF5SIVE P]SPECTIVE & C\NT]-N>RATIVE4 ,RA!R ?AN PROMOT+ CATEGORIES ( D5IGRATION & SUBORD9ATION1 ! C\NT]-ESS5TIALI/ DISC\RSE ( ,ID5TITY ,POLITICS ATTEMPTS TO 9V]T ! HI/ORICAL CATEGORIES ( OPPRESSION 9TO CATEGORIES ( CELEBRATION4 ,?IS IS (T5 9ITIAT$ BY APPROPRIAT+ 9SULTS & TURN+ !M 9TO ACCEPTABLE1 EV5 HONORABLE1 LABELS4 ,:AT HAD ONCE BE5 9T5D$ TO H>M ! ,O!R !REBY BECOMES A WAY TO %[ PRIDE 9 ! ,GR\P ,SELF4 ,KEEP+ ) ! 9V]SION PROCESS1 ! C\NT]-ESS5TIALI/ (T5 M]ELY TURNS ! CATEGORIES ( ,O!RNESS UPSIDE-D[N1 MAK+ VISUALLY ID5TIFIABLE MEMB]S ( ! ,OPPRESSOR GR\P 9TO 5EMIES4 ,A S5SE ( BELONG+ EI!R TO A GR\P ?AT HAS OPPRESS$ OR BE5 OPPRESS$ IS IMMAT]IAL -- ESS5TIALISM IS NOT ! EXCLUSIVE DOMA9 ( OPPRESSORS4 ,! DISC\RSE ( C\NT]-ESS5TIALISM 9CLUDES ! IDEOLOGIES ( 9NOC5CE & VICTIMIZATION1 :I* CAN QUICKLY TRANS=M AN ID5TITY BAS$ ON ! HI/ORY ( %>$ OPPRESSION 9TO A PO/URE ( SUP]IORITY4 ,C\NT]-ESS5TIALISM SUPPOS$LY PROVES ?AT ! VICTIM IS ET]NALLY 9NOC5T1 SO VICTIMS' ACTIONS & REACTIONS >E =EV] BEYOND REPROA*2 ALL GOOD ,*RI/IANS KN[ ?AT SUFF]+ IS 5NOBL+4 ,OPPRESSION IS NEV] ! RESULT ( ANY?+ ! VICTIM HAS ACTUALLY DONE TO ! ,OPPRESSOR1 SO :ATEV] /RATEGIES ( RESI/ANCE ! VICTIM *OOSES >E LEGITIMATE4 ,SELF-DEF5SE IS ITS [N JU/IFICATION4 ,! ADH]5TS ( ,ID5TITY ,POLITICS R>ELY -- IF EV] -- QUE/ION ! CRIT]IA LEAD+ TO VICTIMIZATION4 ,!Y CAN'T CONCEIVE ( ! POSSIBILITY ?AT ! ELEVATION ( ANY P>TICUL> CULTURALLY CON/RUCT$ M>K] 9TO A SIGNIFICANT VALUE -- LAD5 CATEGORY C\LD LEAD TO OPPRESSION4 ,UNLIKE ,OPPRESSOR ESS5TIALI/S1 C\NT]-ESS5TIALI/S IGNORE ! COMPLEXITIES ( RELATIONS ( P[] 7:I* >E CONDITIONAL & CONT+5T72 BUT LIKE ,OPPRESSOR ESS5TIALI/S1 !Y REVEL 9 ! SMUG SELF-ASSURANCE ?AT !IR ,ID5TITY IS /ATIC1 9DEP5D5T1 & ET]NAL4 ,ESS5TIALI/S CREATE & MA9TA9 !IR [N PRIVILEGES ?R\< ! 9/ITUTIONALIZATION ( P[]2 C\NT]-ESS5TIALI/S ?R\< ! 9/ITUTIONALIZATION ( 9NOC5CE4 ,FRANZ ,FANON1 ,]NE/O 0,*E0 ,GUEV>A1 ,PATRICE ,LUMUMBA1 & MANY O!R ,?IRD ,WORLD NATIONAL LIB]ATIONI/S EV5 LESS REPUTABLE TO AN>*I/S 7LIKE ,CA/RO1 ,TITO1 & ,MAO7 9SPIR$ G5]ATIONS ( SELF-DESCRIB$ REVOLUTION>IES 9 ! ,IMP]IAL ,METROPOLE TO FIXI/-,L59I/1 :I* IS TO SAY ,/AL9I/ -- FRAMEWORK IS ALSO CLE>4 ,DESPITE ?IS1 AS SUCCESSFUL ANTI-IMP]IALI/S1 !Y RETA9 A C]TA9 APPEAL & CR$IBILITY AMONG AN>*I/S4 ,AFT] ALL1 :AT AN>*I/ W\LD BE 9 FAVOR ( IMP]IALISM8 ,! PHILOSOPHY & VISION ( SELF-DET]M9ATION REQUIRES AN APPEAL TO WORLD POLITICAL OP9ION2 IT IS AS IF SO-CALL$ REVOLUTION>Y NATIONALI/S WANT$ TO SAY3 0,WE >E MATURE 5\< TO RUN \R [N GOV]NM5TS1 MAKE TREATIES1 5GAGE 9 TRADE ) ! E/ABLI%$ /ATES ( ! WORLD1 & CONTROL TR\BLESOME DISSID5TS40 ,ON A C]TA9 LEVEL1 !SE SOON-TO-BE NATIONAL LEAD]S ACCEPT$ & PROMOT$ ! JU/IFICATION = COLONIALISM -- NAMELY ?AT ! NATIVES W]E TOO *ILD-LIKE OR UN$UCAT$ TO DET]M9E ! PROP] EXPLOITATION ( ! NATURAL RES\RCES ( !IR L&S4 ,!Y WANT$ TO %[ -- EI!R ?R\< ! =CE ( MORALITY 7AS 9 ! TOTALLY MY?OLOGIZ$ CASE ( ,G&HI7 OR ! =CE ( >MS 7AS 9 ! TOTALLY ROMANTICIZ$ CASE ( ,*E & O!RS7 -- ?AT !Y W]E WOR?Y ( BE+ RECKON$ & NEGOTIAT$ )1 & EV5TUALLY RECOGNIZ$ AS EQUAL P>TN]S 9 ! REALM ( /ATECRAFT4 ,NATIONAL BORD]S 9V5T$ & IMPOS$ BY COLONIAL P[]S W\LD BE RESPECT$1 TRADE AGREEM5TS W\LD G5]ALLY 7OR EV5TUALLY7 BE CONCLUD$ ) ! =M] COLONIAL P[]1 LAWS DRAWN UP BY ! =M] COLONIAL MA/]S AGA9/ 9T]NAL DISSID5CE W\LD CONT9UE TO BE US$1 ETC4 ,! NATIVE B\RGEOISIE TOOK OV] ALL ! 9/ITUTIONS ( GOV]NM5T1 DEFLECT+ -- ?R\< APPEALS TO EXPLICITLY CROSS-CLASS E?NO-NATIONAL UNITY & SOLID>ITY -- ! MORE BASIC /RUGGLE BETWE5 EXPLOIT] & EXPLOIT$4 ,! G5D]- & E?NIC-BAS$ LIB]ATION MOVEM5TS 9 ,EUROPE & ! ,UNIT$ ,/ATES ( ! LATE-#a#i#fS_/E>LY-#a#i#gS TOOK !IR IDEOLOGICAL CUES & JU/IFICATIONS FROM !SE SUCCESSFUL ANTI-COLONIALI/ /RUGGLES4 ,! RHETORIC ( ,?IRD ,WORLD NATIONAL LIB]ATION WAS US$ CON/ANTLY1 TO ! PO9T :]E MANY ,AFRICAN-,AM]ICANS1 SOME WOM5 & O!R SELF-ID5TIFI$ OPPRESS$ GR\PS BEGAN TO DESCRIBE !MSELVES AS 09T]NAL COLONIES40 ,M9ORITIES ( ALL K9DS HAD ALREADY BE5 ID5TIFI$ AS SUBORD9ATE ,O!RS BY ! ELITES ( HI]>*ICAL SOCIETIES2 ! FACILE ID5TIFICATION ( ! COLONIAL EXPLOIT] & HIS 9/ITUTIONS AS ! OPPRESSIVE ,O!R IS AT ! HE>T ( ! TR\BLE ) ,ID5TITY ,POLITICS4 ,! ASSIGN+ ( BLAME1 RESPONSIBILITY1 & GUILT TO EV]YONE ID5TIFI$ AS BELONG+ TO ! CATEGORY ( OPPRESSIVE ,O!R CURTAILS ! POSSIBILITY ( TRANSC5D+ HI]>*Y & DOM9ATION2 ?IS PROCESS M]ELY 9V]TS ! VALUES PLAC$ ON P>TICUL> CLASSES OR GR\PS ( PEOPLE1 REG>DLESS ( !IR P]SONAL COMPLICITY 9 HI/ORICAL OR CONTEMPOR>Y OPPRESSION4 ,= MO/ WOM5 LIB]ATIONI/S1 ! CATEGORY ( ,WOMAN -- R$UC$ TO A H]METIC CATEGORY BAS$ ONLY ON G5D] -- BECAME ! ONLY CATEGORY ( IMPORTANCE4 ,! D5IGRATION & OPPRESSION ( WOM5 WAS CLE> EV]Y:]E3 DISCRIM9ATION1 RAPE & O!R =MS ( VIOL5CE1 H>ASSM5T1 ! EXPECTATION & 5=CEM5T ( MO!RHOOD & HET]OSEXUALITY1 & ! MYRIAD WAYS ( KEEP+ WOM5 DEP5D5T & SUBS]VI5T4 ,WOM5 LIB]ATIONI/S DECL>$ ,PATRI>*Y TO BE ! ,5EMY1 SOME TAK+ ! NEXT LOGICAL /EP & MAK+ ,M5 -- R$UC$ TO A H]METIC CATEGORY BAS$ ONLY ON G5D] -- ! ,5EMY4 ,= MO/ BLACK NATIONALI/S1 ! CATEGORY ( ,BLACK -- R$UC$ TO A H]METIC CATEGORY BAS$ ON G5ETICS & RACE -- BECAME ! ONLY CATEGORY ( IMPORTANCE4 ,! D5IGRATION & OPPRESSION ( BLACKS WAS CLE> EV]Y:]E3 DISCRIM9ATION 9 ! =M ( ,JIM ,CR[1 LYN*+ & O!R =MS ( VIOL5CE1 H>ASSM5T 7ESPECIALLY BY LAW 5=CEM5T71 ! EXPECTATION & 5=CEM5T ( S]VILITY1 & ! MYRIAD WAYS ( KEEP+ BLACK PEOPLE DEP5D5T & SUBS]VI5T4 ,BLACK NATIONALI/S DECL>$ ,:ITE ,RACISM TO BE ! ,5EMY1 SOME TAK+ ! NEXT LOGICAL /EP & MAK+ ,:ITE ,PEOPLE -- R$UC$ TO A H]METIC CATEGORY BAS$ ON G5ETICS & RACE -- ! ,5EMY4 ,RACE & G5D]1 SIMIL> TO O!R CULTURALLY SPECIFIC IDEOLOGICAL CON/RUCTS1 >E BO? REAL & UNREAL4 ,UNREAL 9 ! BIOLOGICAL S5SE2 CONCEPTIONS ( !SE DI/9CTIONS DO NOT CORRESPOND TO OBJECTIVE -- ?AT IS1 NON-CULTURALLY BAS$ -- CATEGORIES4 ,REAL 9 ! SOCIOLOGICAL S5SE2 !RE >E CLE> WAYS ( DISC]N+ RACISM1 SEXISM1 & O!R =MS ( DOM9ATION & EXPLOITATION REG>DLESS ( ANY P>TICUL> CULTURAL CONTEXT4 ,!Y >E !RE=E DES]V+ ( CRITICAL ATT5TION4 ,?OSE :O *AMPION ! DISC\RSE ( G5D] /UDIES HAVE DONE AN EXCELL5T JOB 9 ANALYZ+ & %ATT]+ ! CONT+5T NATURE ( H[ G5D] IS UND]/OOD1 %[+ ?AT P>TICUL> COMB9ATIONS ( *ROMOSOMES & G5ITALIA >E ONLY A P>T 7& >GUABLY NOT EV5 ! MO/ IMPORTANT P>T7 ( :AT MAKES G5D] MEAN+FUL4 ,CRITICAL RACE !ORY IS ALSO AN 5C\RAG+ & 9T]E/+ REC5T ANTI-ESS5TIALI/ DEVELOPM5T4 ,COLONIALI/S & !IR APOLOGI/S CONSI/5TLY PROMOTE MY?ICO-IDEOLOGICAL CATEGORIES ( DOM9ATION4 ,PEOPLE OPPOS$ TO HI]>*ICAL 9/ITUTIONS ALREADY UND]/& & EXPECT ?AT4 ,! MA9 CONCEPTUAL CONTRADICTION ( ANTI-IMP]IALI/S 7?OSE :O SUPPOS$LY OPPOSE COLONIAL PRACTICES7 IS !IR [N ACCEPTANCE ( ,EURO-,AM]ICAN PREJUDICES & /]EOTYPES -- ONLY ) ! VALUES 9V]T$4 ,! CATEGORIES ( D5IGRAT$ ,O!R 7BLACK1 SAVAGE1 WOMAN7 CREAT$ & MA9TA9$ = ! EXCLUSIVE B5EFIT ( ,EUROSUPREMACI/S & SEXI/S >E NOT CALL$ 9TO QUE/ION2 !IR OBJECTIVITY IS SELF-EVID5T1 BAS$ ON ! COMMON S5SE ( ! CULTURE ORIG9ALLY CREAT$ BY ! RACI/S & SEXI/S4 ,EV]YONE CAN TELL :E!R SOMEONE IS MALE OR FEMALE -- IT'S BIOLOGICAL4 ,EV]YONE CAN TELL :E!R SOMEONE IS BLACK OR :ITE -- IT'S SCI5TIFIC4 ,EV5 BE=E 7BUT ESPECIALLY DUR+7 ! =MATIVE YE>S ( ,EUROPEAN COLONIALISM1 ,SCI5CE & ,BIOLOGY W]E SE5 AS ME?ODOLOGIES = DISC]N+ ,OBJECTIVE ,REALITY4 ,ANTI-IMP]IALI/S1 AS GOOD ,M>XI/-,L59I/S1 F9D NO?+ TR\BL+ AB\T ,SCI5CE2 IT'S :AT SEP>ATES !IR P>TICUL> IDEOLOGY FROM ALL O!R =MS ( SOCIALISM4 ,H[EV]1 ,SCI5CE IS AN IDEOLOGICALLY DRIV5 PURSUIT4 ,?9K+ ( ,SCI5CE AS SOME NEUTRAL EXAM9ATION & DISC]NM5T ( FACTS = ! SAKE ( TE*NOLOGICAL PROGRESS1 9CREAS+ HUMAN LIB]ATION1 & KN[L$GE AB\T ! UNIV]SE %\LD BE TREAT$ AS ANY O!R =M ( WI%FUL ?9K+4 ,KN[L$GE IS NOT SEP>ATE FROM ! USES TO :I* IT HAS BE5 & IS CURR5TLY BE+ PUT4 ,GR\P SELF-DEF9ITION W\LD SEEM TO FIT 9 ) ! AN>*I/ PR9CIPLES ( SELF-ORGANIZATION & VOLUNT>Y ASSOCIATION4 ,C\NT]-ESS5TIALI/ ID5TITY CAN EV5 BE UND]/OOD AS AN ATTEMPT TO RECAPTURE K9%IP-BAS$ COMMUNITY1 DE/ROY$ BY ! IMPOSITION ( 9DU/RIAL CAPITALISM 7:I* IS BAS$ ON DIVISION ( LABOR & ! RESULT+ ATOMIZATION & ALI5ATION ( 9DIVIDUALS FROM EA* O!R74 ,IT REMA9S PROBLEMATIC1 H[EV]1 BECAUSE IT IS AN ID5TITY =G$ )9 ! IDEOLOGY ( VICTIMIZATION2 IT RE/S ON ! SAME >BITR>Y & CON/RUCT$ CATEGORIES ?AT W]E PREVI\SLY =MULAT$ TO JU/IFY OPPRESSION4 ,CREAT+ A SUPPOS$LY LIB]ATORY C\NT]-N>RATIVE ?AT REMA9S BAS$ ON VISUAL M>K]S CAN NEV] POSSIBLY QUE/ION ! VALIDITY ( AN OPPRESSIVE IDEOLOGY4 ,! O!R PROBLEM IS ! PROMOTION ( AN IDEOLOGICALLY CON/RUCT$ ID5TITY4 ,SU* AN ID5TITY DEM&S GR\P LOYALTY & SOLID>ITY OV] & ABOVE ! ACTUAL LIV$ EXP]I5CES ( ! 9DIVIDUALS 9VOLV$4 ,! P]SON :O IS ATTRACT$ TO ! PROMIS$ S5SE ( BELONG+ (F]$ BY ANY 9/ITUTION 7:E!R AN OPPRESS$ GR\P1 A HI]>*ICAL ORGANIZATION1 OR ANY =MATION PROMOT+ ,UNITY7 MU/ AGREE TO ! PRIOR DI/9CTIONS & CATEGORIES CREAT$ BY O!RS4 ,ONCE ! C\NT]-ESS5TIALI/ AGREES TO ! B\ND>IES ( 9CLUSION_/EXCLUSION 7:I* IS /EP ONE ON ! ROAD TO SEP>ATISM71 S_/HE CAN'T ID5TIFY OR BE ID5TIFI$ ANY O!R WAY2 :ATEV] CRIT]IA ALREADY EXI/ 9 ! C\NT]-ESS5TIALI/ N>RATIVE >E ! ONLY ONES ?AT MATT]4 ,?IS ,ID5TITY ,FUNDAM5TALISM REQUIRES ?AT ANY P]SON 9T]E/$ 9 RADICAL TRANS=MATION REL9QUI% ! ABILITY TO DEF9E H]_/HIMSELF4 ,S_/HE MU/ DISSOLVE ANY SELF-AW>5ESS 9TO PREEXI/+ CATEGORIES ( SIGNIFICANCE4 ,BIOLOGY -- NO MATT] ITS IDEOLOGICAL & CULTURAL CON/RA9TS -- IS ,DE/9Y2 SUBJECTIVITY CAN ONLY BE SACRIFIC$ &_/OR SUPPRESS$4 ,ONE ( ! FIR/ AU?ORIT>IAN LIES IS ?AT SOMEONE ELSE KN[S BETT]4 ,ESS5TIALI/S1 M]ELY BY CA/+ A CURSORY GLANCE AT !IR *OS5 ,O!R1 ALREADY KN[ ALL !Y NE$ TO KN[ AB\T ?AT P]SON4 ,SEP>ATI/S1 NATIONALI/S1 ANTI-IMP]IALI/S -- ESS5TIALI/S ALL -- CALL ?AT ,LIB]ATION4 ,FROM 3 ,!,AN>*I/,LIBR>Y4ORG4 ,*RONOLOGY 3 ,NOVEMB] #c1 #bc 3 ,ESS5TIALISM & ! ,PROBLEM ( ,ID5TITY ,POLITICS -- ,PUBLICATION4 ,APRIL #b#d1 #bb 3 ,ESS5TIALISM & ! ,PROBLEM ( ,ID5TITY ,POLITICS -- ,ADD$4 ,JANU>Y #d1 #bbb 3 ,ESS5TIALISM & ! ,PROBLEM ( ,ID5TITY ,POLITICS -- ,UPDAT$4 FILE G5]AT$ FROM 3 HTTP3_/_/REVOLTLIB4COM_/