Methodology and Thematic Orientation

My methodology will consist of two levels. The first is analyses of secondary source material. This material will include but not be limited to academic literature, non-academic writing, videos and journalism. The second is analyses of my own personal observations supported by academic literature, both class materials and literature drawn from other sources. All analyses will draw on academic literature to ensure validity.

The thematic orientation of the blog will consist of five basic premises: 1. Anti-racism. 2. Addressing neocolonialism and Western/white privilege. 3. Observing and analyzing the enduring effects of past colonialism. 4. Humour that moonlights as relevant social commentary. 5. Since I am from Canada, the inclusion of analyses based on contemporary Canadian issues of race and colonialism.

Wednesday, November 2, 2011

ANTIFA

If anyone is interested, here is a link to find a bit out about ANTIFA; the link is to a Myspace page for an Eastern European branch called ANTIFA Wildeast. I studied ANTIFA for my thesis last year, using Frantz Fanon's "Concerning Violence" essay from The Wretched of the Earth for my theoretical perspective. To give everyone a bit of an idea of what I found and what ANTIFA is, here is the abstract from my thesis:


Abstract

Anti-Fascist Struggle in Russia: ANTIFA and the Fanonian ethic of violent resistance.

Matthew Hargrove

April 29, 2011

            Neo-Nazis are endemic in contemporary Russia. ANTIFA (Anti-Fascist Action) is a direct action anti-racist and anti-fascist movement that resists neo-Nazi occupation of the streets and minds of Russia. Positioned as an anti-colonial resistance to a neo-colonial problem, Frantz Fanon’s theory of violence is used to interpret the opinions on and experiences with violence that members of ANTIFA express. This paper is an empathetic analysis of secondary documents, including video, on the internet; all about or done by ANTIFA.
As a movement, Russian ANTIFA uses violence strategically as a method of resistance against the Russian neo-Nazi movement, which has created physically fortified forbidden quarters in the communities of Russia’s cities. ANTIFA is a unification of different sub-groups who advocate and utilize varying degrees of violence, but all sharing a common goal. Violence as a method of resistance is pursued as a strategy of empowering collective action, used in conjunction with varied peaceful activist strategies to create a unified and effective front against a visibly more numerous, well connected and powerful enemy. Violence is utilized by ANTIFA as a last resort in a situation where constitutional methods of resistance have failed, due to non-cooperation from the state.

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