The University of the West Indies at Mona, Jamaica: UWI Journals
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Fanon's Black Skin White Masks: the Scientific Irreducibility of Black Bodies and Inscribing the Psychological and Social experiences of the African Diaspora in the Western Sciences
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This piece argues that Fanon’s Black Skin White Masks inscribes the social and psychological experience of the African Diaspora within the conceptual purview of the Western sciences by the means of psychoanalytical and philosophical concepts. The upshots of Fanon’s goal are twofold. Its first implication is that in employing psychoanalytical and philosophical lingo to account for the non-European dimension of the social and psychological experience of the African Diaspora, Fanon commits to delineate a distinct tenet of self-determination for the African Diaspora as well. Such tenet of self-determination consists in a set of norms, beliefs, socio-cultural and political practices. Secondly, besides the stated goal in the Introduction, namely to ‘liberate the black individual from herself’, Fanon is attempting to alter the European perception of black communities as sexual and biological threats. Fanon thinks that such empirical perception confines the humanity of black communities to their bodies. Accordingly, this piece concludes that Fanon’s successful inscription of the psychological and lived experiences of the African Diaspora in the western sciences via his psychoanalytical and philosophical rendition is hampered by the European perception of black bodies which prevents their complete scientific conceptualization. The impediment that black bodies presents to the scientific conceptualization of the social and psychological experience of the African Diaspora is referred to as the scientific irreducibility of black bodies. One of the implications of the scientific irreducibility—non-scientific conceptualization—of black bodies is that it hinders Fanon from drawing out the distinct system of values, beliefs, and norms to secure the recognition of the African Diaspora as an equal group in European society
DISTRUSTING THE “ARCHIMEDEAN VIEW” OF PHILOSOPHY: A PLEA FOR TOLERANCE IN THE “VOICES AND CONVERSATIONS OF MANKIND”
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It is not uncommon to hear philosophers or even students of philosophy when asked to define their discipline to say that philosophy is the ‘queen of the sciences’, ‘first philosophy’, and so on. These phrases and appellations are often deliberately ascribed to philosophy to denote its centrality to human existence and pursuits as well as its rootedness or connection to other disciplines.
They can attempt to justify this by jokingly saying that after all, the academic degree of Doctor of Philosophy’ (Ph.D), which is usually awarded after some years of research and course work is given in due respect and obeisance to its ancestry and gerontologically prior to all classes of knowledge viz, humanities, social sciences and natural science. At a deeper level, it offers useful insights into knowing the business and preoccupation of philosophers from the ancient through modern to contemporary periods. Here, the main concern of the philosopher is to conceive philosophy and its task as a cognitive enterprise and attempt, to establish through conceptual analysis any claims to knowledge. In this conception, philosophy examines the substructure of issues and raises foundational or second-order questions.
The intent of this paper is to show that philosophy still retains its original image, but its omnibus interpretation and application by some scholars in the present time throws up some problems, one of which is the dictatorial and hegemonic tone implicit in the conception which may inadvertently marginalize and sideline the emergence of other forms of discourses. The paper concludes by making a case for tolerance of other alternative forms of knowledge other than the Western
Skin Bleaching and the Question of Identity of Black Zimbabweans: An Afrocentric Critique
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The purpose of this paper is to discuss the extent to which the phenomenon of skin bleaching in Zimbabwe has been influenced by the colonisers’ objective to degrade the black skin while at the same time elevating the aesthetic value of the white skin and culture to the lofty status of the ideal that every race ought to aspire to achieve and match (Tembo 2010, 19). For Street, Gaska, Lewis and Wilson (2014, 52), ‘skin bleaching is the use of creams, gels, or soaps to lighten the skin and is known to cause a number of injuries, many of which are potentially life-threatening.’ For the purpose of this study, we accept Street, Gaska, Lewis and Wilson’s (2014, 52) understanding of skin bleaching but we add that in the context of the colonised world, it is an outcome of the colonial experience that has fostered psychological injuries to the colonised people that have led them to aspire to be like their colonisers in regard to skin colour and cultural values. In this regard, we are in agreement with Robinson (2011) that skin bleaching is a relic of colonialism.
Grounded on the theoretical framework of Afrocentricity, the present paper argues that the de-centering and dislocation that the indigenous people of Zimbabwe have suffered at the hands of the colonisers can be remedied through adopting an Afrocentric stance that enables them to regain confidence in regard to who they are. The paper focuses on the phenomenon of skin bleaching and how it impacts on the question of identity. Despite the ban of these skin damaging cosmetics in Zimbabwe, their use has become widespread. The paper proceeds to argue a case for the restoration of the agency of the indigenous people of Zimbabwe in understanding beauty in the context of a pluriverse and not a universe
Aesthetics of Indigenous Faith Tourism in Nigeria
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Religious Tourism (also known as faith tourism) is an area of development in Nigeria that is fast growing. However, this growth is confined mainly to Christian religious activities. Indigenous faith tourism has been largely unexplored and unexploited. Most times indigenous faith activities are regarded only in entertainment terms, deriving their value only from the leisure perspective. It is in the light of the foregoing that this paper examines the area as a means of national development.
The paper makes a case for the development of a robust aesthetics for the sector with focus on the role of the mass media in this regard. It is contended that the mass media have not done much to foster indigenous faith tourism development, owing to some challenges. The paper then concludes by offering ways of tackling these challenges, for better media performance and appreciation of the arts involved in indigenous faith tourism.
Key words: Tourism, Indigenous faith, Mass Medi
Health Beliefs and Prostate Screening Practice among Trinidadian Men
No full textBackground: Prostate cancer is the leading cause of cancer in Trinidad and Tobago. Due to low screening levels however, the disease is typically detected in its late stages when treatment is associated with considerable morbidity and mortality. The purpose of this study was to determine the factors that act as barriers or facilitators to screening practice among Trinidadian men.
Methods: This phenomenological study utilized in-depth interviews to examine the health beliefs of a group of Trinidadian men regarding prostate cancer screening. Data were analyzed using interpretative phenomenological analysis. Triangulation and member checks were utilized to enhance the trustworthiness and credibility of the data.
Results: The findings, which were discussed using the lens of the Health Belief Model, suggest that the main three barriers to routine screening was a dislike for seeking medical attention, an aversion to the digital rectal examination, and a fear of impotence. Advice from a healthcare professional, encouragement of a spouse and faith in God were the three main facilitators to screening.
Conclusion: Since the results of this study cannot be generalized, it is recommended that the information gained be used to develop a questionnaire which can be administered to a wider subset of the population.
Keywords: prostate cancer screening, health belief
Active Ageing: A Concept Analysis
No full textBackground: The World Health Organization active ageing framework was adopted to guide ageing intervention, by ensuring that people of the world engage in practices that help them maintain functional capacities as they grow older.
Aim: This analysis was carried out to examine the perspectives of professional nurses regarding the World Health Organization’s Framework for Active Ageing.
Method: Extended search spanning from 1997 to 2014 was done through Ebsco Discovery Service (EDS) with 950 articles. Data bases with their corresponding results accessed: Academic Search Complete (553), MEDLINE (165), CINAHL (90), Health Source: Nursing/Academic Edition (138) and Caribbean Search (4). Valid search was 531, and 169 was exact repetition. Refine search yielded 153 articles on human active ageing either in the title or in the abstract.
Results: The WHO framework was found to be widely accepted. Five (3.3 %) of the 153 articles were either carried out, or led by the nurses. Three (3) of the studies led by nurses approached active ageing interventions in the home care facilities, while two (2) adopted community approach. However, studies in both settings showed that nurses predominantly carried out interventions among older people.
Key Words: active ageing, nurses, life-course, community-based interventio
Clinical Simulation Laboratories in Nursing Education: Exploiting a Home Court Advantage.
No full textTraining nursing students within the Jamaican health care system is a complex and sometimes challenging commission. Nurse educators consider the compromises made in the delivery of health care and its impacts on students’ assimilation of best practices.
The benefits of simulation based training has been widely noted, gaining momentum in disciplines where training errors can cause injury. Within the context of nursing education, clinical simulation laboratories has been the answer to lessen the casualties that may occur during the learning process. While simulation strategies have incorporated modern technological advances of this era, the benefits of simulation techniques in nursing education have yet to be fully developed and exploited