The Discourse of Socialization as a Contemporary Colonial Practice: A Comparative Analysis of Aime Cesaire’s Discourse on Colonialism and Frantz Fanon’s Black Skin, White Masks

• Dulcine Stephens, , University of Delaware

• Alicia Fontnette, Africana Studies, University of Delaware

This study explores the historical context of colonialism and how its effects have affected modern socialization techniques in order to contextualize the discourse. Additionally, the study assesses how social institutions support hegemonic connections between colonizers and colonized people. This research utilizes Aime Cesaire’s landmark work, “Discourse on Colonialism,” and Frantz Fanon’s, “Black Skin, White Masks,” while also including pertinent literature from other experts. This study investigates how modern socialization practices support colonial power structures and the ideologies of domination and oppression. The study identifies five major themes: Colonialism’s Psychological Effects, power dynamics, critique of Eurocentrism, identity and resistance, and humanization and decolonization. These themes help to better understand the connection between colonialism’s socialization and modern-day socialization. In order to clarify the similarities and contrasts between the two authors’ ideas on how colonialism affects socialization, the thesis uses a comparative analysis approach. Cesaire’s writings expose how colonial powers exploited history, culture, and language to justify their rule over colonized peoples. Fanon, on the other hand, focuses on the internalization of inferiority and the development of racial identities within colonized people as he explores the psychological effects of colonialism in his work.

This thesis lays the groundwork for a number of articles that will explore the idea that Western globalization is a sort of neo-colonialism. The comparative analysis of the author’s key works, together with other pertinent sources, lays the foundation for subsequent research by highlighting the function of socialization as a sustainer of colonial power relations. The complex relationships between modern Western globalization and the lingering effects of colonialism will be explored in later research projects, focusing on how globalization upholds unequal power structures, economic exploitation, and cultural imperialism. Through this continuous scholarly investigation, we want to understand neo-colonial tendencies in contemporary society better and add to the conversation about decolonization efforts for a more just and equitable international system.