Successful Completion of 4th Seminar of Fanon Week

The Department of English advanced its seminal six-part seminar series Frantz Fanon at 100: Decolonizing the Mind, Reimagining the World with Seminar 4: "Forgotten Fanon and the Fetish of the Flesh: Colonial-Racial Capitalism and the Political Economy of Silence", held on 20 July 2025. 90 students and faculty gathered in Room A-409 for a provocative exploration of Fanon’s enduring relevance in interrogating systemic oppression, led by distinguished scholar Azfar Hussain.

The seminar was masterfully anchored by Syeda Masnuna Rumi, a distinguished faculty member, whose poised moderation set a tone of critical inquiry. Dr. Elham Hossain, Associate Professor, delivered a welcoming address, framing Fanon’s work as "a lens to dissect the entanglement of race, capitalism, and silence in global power structures."

Azfar Hussain (Associate Professor, Grand Valley State University; Vice President, Global Center for Advanced Studies), a polymath scholar and activist, delivered an incisive analysis of Fanon’s marginalized theories. His presentation, titled "Forgotten Fanon and the Fetish of the Flesh", interrogated:

● Racial Capitalism: He argued that colonialism’s legacy persists through "the fetishization of flesh", where bodies are commodified under systems of racial hierarchy, echoing Fanon’s critique in Black Skin, White Masks.

● Silence as Political Economy: Hussain linked Fanon’s concept of "the wretched of the earth" to modern struggles, asserting that silenced voices must reclaim agency to dismantle oppressive structures.

● Marx and Fanon: Provocatively posing, "Can we read Marxist theories without Fanon?", he underscored how Fanon’s decolonial framework enriches Marxist critiques of labor and exploitation.

● Black Marxism: Hussain emphasized the necessity of intersectional praxis, merging anti-racism, anti-capitalism, and anti-colonial resistance to forge liberation.

Audience engagement was intense during the question and answer session, with students questioning how contemporary movements (e.g., climate justice) might integrate Fanon’s ideas. A student participant passionately reflected on Fanon’s urgency for today’s world, stating, "Reading Fanon isn’t just academic—it’s a survival guide for resisting erasure." Md. Zohurul Islam (Faculty Member) enriched discussions by connecting Fanon’s theories to Bangladesh’s postcolonial economic struggles, highlighting parallels between global South nations.

Followed by the handing over of the crest to the chief speaker, Dr. Md. Shamim Mondol, Chairperson of the department of English, concluded with a motivational call to action. He announced upcoming seminars and reiterated the department’s commitment to fostering intellectual courage.

The seminar succeeded in bridging Fanon’s radical insights with urgent global debates, ensuring his legacy remains a vital tool for justice.