Against Stultifying Classifications, for a ‘New Humanism’: Frantz Fanon’s Contribution to Social Work’s Commitment to ‘Liberation’

Abstract

Abstract Efforts to ‘decolonize’ social work, along with the contemporary resurgence of racism and fascism, might prompt a return to the work of Frantz Fanon. Mostly focusing on Black Skin, White Masks and a recent collection, Alienation and Freedom, it is argued that Fanon’s commitment to liberation and the creation of a ‘new humanism’ was reflected in both his anti-colonial politics and in his practice as a psychiatrist. A defining characteristic of Fanon’s professional role is that he tried to imbue it with same values and progressive aspirations central to his political project. It is maintained that Fanon’s aspiration to dismantle obstacles to democracy is reflected in his aspiration to confront oppressive categories pertaining to ‘race’ and also those rooted in the ‘common sense’ of the Psychiatric Hospital. In both contexts, his political and professional contributions convey significant messages for social work and chime with the ethical commitments of the profession to promote the ‘liberation of people’.