Postcolonial Intellectuals in Europe: Critics, Artists, Movements, and their Publics (Frontiers of the Political: Doing International Politics)

Postcolonial intellectuals have engaged with and deeply impacted upon European society since the figure of the intellectual emerged at the beginning of the nineteenth century. Yet a critical assessment and overview of their influential roles is long overdue, particularly in the light of contemporary debates in Europe and beyond. This book offers an innovative take on the role of intellectuals in Europe through a postcolonial lens and, in doing so, questions the very definition of "public intellectual," on the one hand, and the meaning of such a thing as "Europe," on the other. It does so not only by offering portraits of charismatic figures such as Stuart Hall, Jacques Derrida, Antonio Gramsci, Frantz Fanon, and Hannah Arendt, among others, but also by exploring their lasting legacies and the many dialogues they have generated. The notion of the ‘classic’ intellectual is further challenged by bringing to the fore artists, writers, and activists, as well as social movements, networks, and new forms of mobilization and collective engagement that are part of the intellectual scene. Cover......Page 1 Postcolonial Intellectuals in Europe......Page 2 Postcolonial Intellectuals in Europe: Critics, Artists, Movements, and Their Publics......Page 4 Contents......Page 6 Acknowledgements......Page 10 Preface: Postcolonial Intellectuals......Page 12 Intervention: Thinking Academic Freedom in Gendered Postcoloniality......Page 16 Introduction......Page 36 PORTRAITS OF THE INTELLECTUAL......Page 54 Antonio Gramsci and Anticolonial Internationalism......Page 56 Rethinking the Postcolonial Intellectual......Page 57 Gramsci as a Postcolonial Public Intellectual......Page 59 Gramsci and Ethiopia......Page 63 Against Italian Imperialism......Page 65 Towards an Internationalist Cosmopolitan Intellectual......Page 68 Notes......Page 70 References......Page 71 Talking about a Revolution......Page 73 C. L. R. James: A “Victorian with a Rebel Seed”......Page 74 Frantz Fanon: A Marxist Heretic?......Page 77 James: History and Strategy—Towards the Anticolonial Pan-african Revolution......Page 81 Fanon: Apocalypse and Prophecy. Towards a Revolutionary Humanism......Page 84 James, Fanon, and the Postcolonial......Page 87 References......Page 90 Edward Said’s Enduring Legacy......Page 93 The Contemporary Crises in the Humanities......Page 96 Said’s Humanism......Page 100 The Role of the Intellectual......Page 103 Conclusion......Page 106 References......Page 107 Conversations Unfinished......Page 109 “In, But Not of, Europe”......Page 113 Behind the Scenes......Page 116 Knock, Knock......Page 120 References......Page 122 REINTERPRETATIONS AND DIALOGUES......Page 126 Before Postcolonialism......Page 128 Europeans as Allies, Orientalists as Obstacle......Page 129 Studying Orientalists as an Anticolonial Act......Page 132 Offering Alternative Information on Islam......Page 134 Conclusion......Page 138 Notes......Page 139 References......Page 140 Hannah Arendt and Postcolonial Thought......Page 142 Thinking through an Age of Empire......Page 144 Thinking through an Age of Postcolonialism......Page 149 Conclusion......Page 155 References......Page 156 Jacques Derrida’s Three Moments of Postcoloniality and the Challenge of Settler Colonialism......Page 158 A Revolution “From Within?”......Page 162 Postcoloniality and the Black Decade......Page 164 The Challenge of Settler Colonialism......Page 167 Conclusion......Page 170 Notes......Page 171 References......Page 172 Rosi Braidotti and Paul Gilroy......Page 176 Between Postcolonial Thought and Feminist Subjectivity......Page 179 Countermemory, Counterculture......Page 181 Europe and the Cosmopolitan Futures......Page 184 Posthumanities, Panhumanities, and Postcoloniality......Page 186 Reinventing Futures through Archivization......Page 188 Notes......Page 190 References......Page 191 WRITERS, ARTISTS AND ACTIVISTS......Page 194 Salman Rushdie......Page 196 The Satanic Verses Affair: The Contested Intellectual “in the Eye of the Storm”......Page 198 Rushdie, the Freedom of Speech Advocate......Page 201 On Authenticity, or Split Selves......Page 204 Conclusion......Page 206 References......Page 208 “Not Merely in Symbol But in Reality”......Page 211 Ethics of Connection: NW and the Canon......Page 213 Political Engagement: The Embassy of Cambodia and Swing Time......Page 217 The Relations between Us: Self-Examination after Brexit......Page 220 Conclusion......Page 222 References......Page 223 Anonymous Urban Disruptions......Page 227 Street Art, Banksy, and Wallwriting as Political Action......Page 229 Portraying European Politics and the “Refugee Crisis”—Engaging in the Art Works......Page 231 The Brexit Mural......Page 235 The “Les Misérables” Stencil......Page 238 The Steve Jobs Stencil......Page 240 Conclusion......Page 241 References......Page 242 #RhodesMustFall and the Curation of European Imperial Legacies......Page 246 Contested Legacies......Page 248 Repetition with a Change......Page 255 Notes......Page 259 References......Page 261 INTELLECTUAL MOVEMENTS AND NETWORKS......Page 264 Strange Fruits......Page 266 The Politics of Culture and Translation......Page 268 Andre Reeder: “I Wanted to Be the Voice of My People”......Page 273 Gloria Wekker: “You Need to Harm the Institution”......Page 276 Conclusion......Page 279 References......Page 281 Radical Equality and the Politics of the Anonym......Page 284 Identity, Anonymity, and Equality......Page 287 Radical Equality and Postcolonial Disfigurations of Europe......Page 291 The Politics of the Anonym......Page 294 Europe as Contaminated Culture......Page 297 Notes......Page 298 References......Page 299 Killjoy Movements......Page 301 Decolonizing the Curriculum......Page 303 Histories That Are Not Over......Page 306 Feminist Points......Page 310 Notes......Page 313 References......Page 314 Hacking the European Refugee Crisis?......Page 316 On Hacking the Crisis......Page 318 Big Data Activism: The Migrants’ Files......Page 321 Small Data Activism: @AlabedBana, “Our Era’s Anne Frank”......Page 325 Conclusion......Page 331 References......Page 333 Afterword......Page 338 Index......Page 345 About the Contributors......Page 357 Cover 1 Postcolonial Intellectuals in Europe 2 Postcolonial Intellectuals in Europe: Critics, Artists, Movements, and Their Publics 4 Contents 6 Acknowledgements 10 Preface: Postcolonial Intellectuals 12 Intervention: Thinking Academic Freedom in Gendered Postcoloniality 16 Introduction 36 PORTRAITS OF THE INTELLECTUAL 54 Chapter 1 56 Antonio Gramsci and Anticolonial Internationalism 56 Rethinking the Postcolonial Intellectual 57 Gramsci as a Postcolonial Public Intellectual 59 Gramsci and Ethiopia 63 Against Italian Imperialism 65 Towards an Internationalist Cosmopolitan Intellectual 68 Notes 70 References 71 Chapter 2 73 Talking about a Revolution 73 C. L. R. James: A “Victorian with a Rebel Seed” 74 Frantz Fanon: A Marxist Heretic? 77 James: History and Strategy—Towards the Anticolonial Pan-african Revolution 81 Fanon: Apocalypse and Prophecy. Towards a Revolutionary Humanism 84 James, Fanon, and the Postcolonial 87 Notes 90 References 90 Chapter 3 93 Edward Said’s Enduring Legacy 93 The Contemporary Crises in the Humanities 96 Said’s Humanism 100 The Role of the Intellectual 103 Conclusion 106 Note 107 References 107 Chapter 4 109 Conversations Unfinished 109 “In, But Not of, Europe” 113 Behind the Scenes 116 Knock, Knock 120 Notes 122 References 122 REINTERPRETATIONS AND DIALOGUES 126 Chapter 5 128 Before Postcolonialism 128 Europeans as Allies, Orientalists as Obstacle 129 Studying Orientalists as an Anticolonial Act 132 Offering Alternative Information on Islam 134 Conclusion 138 Notes 139 References 140 Chapter 6 142 Hannah Arendt and Postcolonial Thought 142 Thinking through an Age of Empire 144 Thinking through an Age of Postcolonialism 149 Conclusion 155 References 156 Chapter 7 158 Jacques Derrida’s Three Moments of Postcoloniality and the Challenge of Settler Colonialism 158 A Revolution “From Within?” 162 Postcoloniality and the Black Decade 164 The Challenge of Settler Colonialism 167 Conclusion 170 Notes 171 References 172 Chapter 8 176 Rosi Braidotti and Paul Gilroy 176 Between Postcolonial Thought and Feminist Subjectivity 179 Countermemory, Counterculture 181 Europe and the Cosmopolitan Futures 184 Posthumanities, Panhumanities, and Postcoloniality 186 Reinventing Futures through Archivization 188 Notes 190 References 191 WRITERS, ARTISTS AND ACTIVISTS 194 Chapter 9 196 Salman Rushdie 196 The Satanic Verses Affair: The Contested Intellectual “in the Eye of the Storm” 198 Rushdie, the Freedom of Speech Advocate 201 On Authenticity, or Split Selves 204 Conclusion 206 Notes 208 References 208 Chapter 10 211 “Not Merely in Symbol But in Reality” 211 Ethics of Connection: NW and the Canon 213 Political Engagement: The Embassy of Cambodia and Swing Time 217 The Relations between Us: Self-Examination after Brexit 220 Conclusion 222 Notes 223 References 223 Chapter 11 227 Anonymous Urban Disruptions 227 Street Art, Banksy, and Wallwriting as Political Action 229 Portraying European Politics and the “Refugee Crisis”—Engaging in the Art Works 231 The Brexit Mural 235 The “Les Misérables” Stencil 238 The Steve Jobs Stencil 240 Conclusion 241 Notes 242 References 242 Chapter 12 246 #RhodesMustFall and the Curation of European Imperial Legacies 246 Contested Legacies 248 Repetition with a Change 255 Notes 259 References 261 INTELLECTUAL MOVEMENTS AND NETWORKS 264 Chapter 13 266 Strange Fruits 266 The Politics of Culture and Translation 268 Andre Reeder: “I Wanted to Be the Voice of My People” 273 Gloria Wekker: “You Need to Harm the Institution” 276 Conclusion 279 Notes 281 References 281 Chapter 14 284 Radical Equality and the Politics of the Anonym 284 Identity, Anonymity, and Equality 287 Radical Equality and Postcolonial Disfigurations of Europe 291 The Politics of the Anonym 294 Europe as Contaminated Culture 297 Notes 298 References 299 Chapter 15 301 Killjoy Movements 301 Decolonizing the Curriculum 303 Histories That Are Not Over 306 Feminist Points 310 Reorientations 313 Acknowledgements 313 Notes 313 References 314 Chapter 16 316 Hacking the European Refugee Crisis? 316 On Hacking the Crisis 318 Big Data Activism: The Migrants’ Files 321 Small Data Activism: @AlabedBana, “Our Era’s Anne Frank” 325 Conclusion 331 Acknowledgements 333 Note 333 References 333 Afterword 338 Index 345 About the Contributors 357 Offers Overview Of Postcolonial Intellectuals In Europe From The First Half Of The Nineteenth Century To Present Day-- Preface: Postcolonial Intellectuals: Universal, Specific, Or Transversal? / Engin Isin -- Intervention: Thinking Academic Freedom In Gendered Postcoloniality / Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak -- Introduction: Postcolonial Intellectuals, European Publics / Adriano José Habed And Sandra Ponzanesi -- Antonio Gramsci And Anti-colonial Internationalism / Neelam Srivastava -- Talking About A Revolution. C.l.r. Jamesÿand Frantz Fanon / Jamila M. H. Mascat -- Edward Said's Enduring Legacy: Disciplining Criticism / Pal Ahluwalia -- Feminisms Of Colour In The Company Of Stuart Hall / Yasmin Gunaratnamÿ -- Before Postcolonialism: Shakib Arslan's Response To Colonialism In The Interwar Years / Mehdi Sajid -- Hannah Arendt And Postcolonial Thought / Christopher J. Lee -- Jacques Derrida's Three Moments Of Postcoloniality And The Challenge Of Settler Colonialism / Muriam Haleh Davis -- Rosi Braidotti And Paul Gilroy: Questions Of Memory And Cosmopolitan Futures Of Europe / Bolette B. Blagaard -- Salman Rushdie: The Accidental Intellectual In The Mediascape / Ana Cristina Mendes -- Not Merely In Symbol But In Reality: Zadie Smith And The Aesthetic Of The Intellectual / Jesse Van Amelsvoort -- Anonymous Urban Disruptions: Exploring Banksy As Artistic Activist And Social Critic / Tindra Thor -- #rhodesmustfall And The Curation Of European Imperial Legacies / Rosemarie Buikema -- Strange Fruits: Queer Of Color Intellectual Labor In The Netherlands In The 1980s And 1990s / Gianmaria Colpani And Wigbertson Julian Isenia -- Radical Equality And The Politics Of The Anonym: A Counter-discourse Toward Postcolonial Europe / Sudeep Dasgupta -- Killjoy Movements / Leila Whitley -- Hacking The European Refugee Crisis: Data Activism And Human Rights / Koen Leurs. Edited By Sandra Ponzanesi And Adriano José Habed. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Postcolonial intellectuals have engaged with and deeply impacted upon European society since the figure of the intellectual emerged at the beginning of the nineteenth century. Yet a critical assessment and overview of their influential roles is long overdue, particularly in the light of contemporary debates in Europe and beyond.0This book offers an innovative take on the role of intellectuals in Europe through a postcolonial lens and, in doing so, questions the very definition of "public intellectual," on the one hand, and the meaning of such a thing as "Europe," on the other. It does so not only by offering portraits of charismatic figures such as Stuart Hall, Jacques Derrida, Antonio Gramsci, Frantz Fanon, and Hannah Arendt, among others, but also by exploring their lasting legacies and the many dialogues they have generated. The notion of the 'classic' intellectual is further challenged by bringing to the fore artists, writers, and activists, as well as social movements, networks, and new forms of mobilization and collective engagement that are part of the intellectual scene