Ryan NewmanID# U0824439Word Count: 564

Fanon vs. Foucault

The subject of police brutality both supports and opposes the theories of Fanon and Foucault. It is violence to maintain order alongside giving discipline for the subject’s actions. Fanon would use his idea of decolonization as the start of an uprising from the African American population bringing chaos and disorder upon us to explain what is happening1. The protests taking place in Ferguson, Washington D.C. and Baltimore, to name a few, are creating disorder by attempting to get a reaction from the police2. To solve violence with greater violence is the only acceptable way to put a stop to the events taking place.

Foucault’s theory regarding disciplinary power explains that the use of punishment and discipline is the only way to obtain control over the situation at hand. Police responses of shooting and killing Tamir Rice would be an example of his theory taking place3. The officers perceived a threat and did what they were trained to do, although social sanctions were brought upon the officers’ responses. Foucault would interpret these events as having to use this disciplinary power. Order and punishment are used as tools and mechanisms to keep an embodiment of people intact; such as responses of the police officers responding to the riots that broke out in Baltimore and St. Louis4.

Fanon would argue that this uprising of rioting and having police brutality upon the innocence of the local city people will bring out the individual’s true self. Which would make the justice system be vulnerable by acting out towards discrimination against a single ethnic group, such as African Americans5. Foucault’s thoughts about these events taking place would be, in a mere sense, having to use the force of disciplinary power by obtaining that sense of control. Exercising this use of power and utilizing such tools should only be used when it is deemed necessary or it will only have adverse effects on the population. Disciplinary action should only be used on those that are in need of corrective training. One way this is achieved is by having a hierarchical society where the wealth controls outcome for everyone6.

1 Kang, J. C. (2015). Our Demand Is Simple: Stop Killing Us. The New York Times Magazine, 1-20.

2 Kang, J. C. (2015). Our Demand Is Simple: Stop Killing Us. The New York Times Magazine, 1-20.

Abdul Jabbar, K. (2014). The Coming Race War Won't Be About Race. TIME , 1-4.

3 Mullainathan, S. (2015). Police Killings of Blacks: Here Is What the Data Say. The New York Times, 1-5.4 Kang, J. C. (2015). Our Demand Is Simple: Stop Killing Us. The New York Times Magazine, 1-20.5Kang, J. C. (2015). Our Demand Is Simple: Stop Killing Us. The New York Times Magazine, 1-20. 6 Abdul-Jabbar, K. (2014). The Coming Race War Won't Be About Race. TIME , 1-4.

Fanon would agree with Foucault to the point of, if violence was to equal out to being some sort of corrective training, by use of disciplinary force, there it could be justified. Foucault would agree with Fanon that although punishment is complex, change has to happen from the bottom moving up. We see this change happening with the followers of two individuals of a leaderless group that are instilling and influencing in people’s minds that the justice system is to be held accountable for their mishaps regardless of how small or how devastating their choices are7.

Fanon’s hope for the future would be that the processes taking place and the protests being organized by the minority group would be heard due to the intent of creating instability caused by police brutality8. The African American culture will influence the change needed to take place from the bottom up and will follow through with their intentions.

Foucault’s hope for the future is that the sight of punishments, such as tear gas or rubber bullets, being distributed out by police officers for the actions taking place will provide the discipline needed to instill order9. Every choice has a consequence, but disciplinary action may or may not need to take place in order to ensure structural integrity.

7 Kang, J. C. (2015). Our Demand Is Simple: Stop Killing Us. The New York Times Magazine, 1-20.

8 Kang, J. C. (2015). Our Demand Is Simple: Stop Killing Us. The New York Times Magazine, 1-20.

9 Kang, J. C. (2015). Our Demand Is Simple: Stop Killing Us. The New York Times Magazine, 1-20.

Works CitedAbdul-Jabbar, K. (2014). The Coming Race War Won't Be About Race. TIME , 1-4.

Fanon, F. (2004). The Wretched of the Earth. New York City: Grove Press.

Foucault, M. (1977). Discipline And Punish The Birth of the Prison. New York City: Random House Inc.

Kang, J. C. (2015). Our Demand Is Simple: Stop Killing Us. The New York Times Magazine, 1-20.

Mullainathan, S. (2015). Police Killings of Blacks: Here Is What the Data Say. The New York Times, 1-5.