In his book The Souls of Black Folk, a powerful analysis of - TopicsExpress



          

In his book The Souls of Black Folk, a powerful analysis of racisms effects on African Americans and a critique of US society, W E B Du Bois theorised on the concept of double consciousness: the self-measuring and regulating mechanism that causes African Americans to look at ones self through the eyes of others, denying them the ability to attain self-conscious manhood and merge his double self into a better and truer self. He explained further: It is a peculiar sensation, this double-consciousness, this sense of always looking at ones self through the eyes of others, of measuring ones soul by the tape of a world that looks on in amused contempt and pity. One ever feels his two-ness: an American, a Negro; two souls, two thoughts, two un-reconciled strivings; two warring ideals in one dark body whose dogged strength alone keeps it from being torn asunder. It is important for me to bring Du Bois concept of double consciousness into the discussion of Muslims, the colonial and the post-colonial, because of my personal interest as a Palestinian in his work and in all issues related to race and racism; and because of my conviction that double consciousness is a condition that afflicts all who inhabit the modern Eurocentric world. Indeed, how we define ourselves; the superior or inferior, who we seek to emulate, the Fair and Lovely we purchase to whiten our bodies, the history, novels, movies and media we devour, the political structures we build, the cities we desire to visit, the music, fashion, the things we hold important, the food and corporate symbols we all share, etc., are all burdened by double consciousness.
Posted on: Tue, 12 Nov 2013 01:18:38 +0000

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