2011, Vol.24, No.

Cross-Cultural Studies 2023 KCI Impact Factor : 0.52

pISSN : 1598-0685 / eISSN : 2671-9088
https://journal.kci.go.kr/ccs

This article offers a reflection on Frantz Fanon's diagnosis and analysis of French colonialism in Algeria. We will attempt to demonstrate that there is a concrete and clear connection between Fanon as the psychiatrist diagnosing the devastating effects of the French colonial system, and his subsequent political involvement in the Algerian revolution. This is not to say that each part does not contain valuable insights in their own rights, but rather to stress that without being read together, as a whole, one would miss a significant element in the understanding of the importance Fanon's thought subsequently came to play in the emancipation struggles of the colonized worldwide. Furthermore, we argue that it is crucial to understand the intimate connection between Fanon's psychiatric work, his diagnosis of colonial mental disorders, as well as diagnosis of the colonial system as such, and then his political engagement, in order to understand the particular context in which he favourably discusses the use of violence in the name of fighting against the oppressive system of colonialism. Above all, we argue that Fanon's critique of colonialism continues to spark controversy because it still represents the most powerful and incisive analysis of, as well as answer to, the troubled relationship between the blessed and the wretched of the earth.

This article examines the historical view of Benito Pérez Galdós in his historical novel named “Zaragoza” and “Cánovas” by comparing with Numancia of Cervantes. In front of the national survival crisis, Galdós recognizes that it is necessary that Spain should recover humanity and morality on basis of the krausist ideal. The krausists warned subjective idealism, stressing on free-will and moral conscience in a harmonious balance of rationality. Without refusing patriotism, they warned egoistic patriotism deformed by national selfishness or nationalism. Giner de los Ríos insisted on a necessity of harmonizing national inclination and universal one. Galdós emphasizes that the identity of Spain is not possession of privileged class but sweat and tears of the mass of people in daily life. He represents Efemera as the ideal history on the basis of Unamuno’s ‘intrahistoria’, by which, instead of Lukács’ progressive history, we can peep into a historical poetics of human free nature and vividness of discontinuous and endless shifting. According to the sub-history, we come to the conclusion that Galdós and Cervantes would lay emphasis on sub-history, aiming to essence of Spanish soul originated from national landscape and people’s daily life.

This paper addresses some issues on the Northern Nigerian traditional garments and caps. We observed that most of the Northern Nigerian garments and caps, particularly those of the Kanuri people, have their origin in the culture and traditions of the people. In very significant ways, the garments and the caps depict the belief systems, political metaphysics, and the general consciousness of the people including their creative impulses. But as more and more people move from rural areas to the cities, travel abroad and as more and more cultures intermingle, inevitable changes catch up with the culture and tradition of the people. We observed that it is hard to find in the Northern Nigeria scene, particularly among the Kanuri people, clothes that have assumed new nomenclature other than garments and caps. We realized that, the culture and tradition of the Kanuri people wearing longer, voluminous and roomy garments preferably with cap have witnessed changes due to the blend with foreign culture. This and many other issues are discussed in this paper. The purpose of this research is to show that inspite of the Kanuri people’s strong adherence to their beliefs and culture which hardly encourage any changes, the use of their traditional garments and caps have exhibited the flexibility of their beliefs, culture and traditions. The use of the garments and caps discussed in this paper are those observed among the Kanuri people of Northern Nigeria.