In today's world, we witness some of the most horrific events through the screens of our phones. For many in the Western world, the mass deaths and tragedies occurring in other parts of the globe have become normalized-especially when those regions are in the Global South. Wars, famine, and poverty are often seen as distant, ongoing issues that are primarily associated with non-white populations, rarely put into proper context.
Whether it's Sudan, Iran, Palestine, Congo, or Haiti, many of these crises share a common origin: systems of oppression like colonialism and slavery. Yet, there's a significant lack of responsibility or accountability from the Western world, even though the roots of these issues are deeply linked to its exploitative history.
This is where Achille Mbembe's concept of Necropolitics becomes crucial in understanding these dynamics. Mbembe, a Cameroonian historian and political theorist, first introduced the term in a paper and expanded on it in his 2019 book Necropolitics. He currently serves as a research professor at the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, South Africa, and holds a PhD from the University of Sorbonne in France.
Image: GermanyFunk
What is Necropolitics?
Necropolitics refers to the power dynamics that allow certain entities-whether they be states, paramilitaries, or corporations-to dictate who gets to live and who must die. These systems of control exist to maintain the current global power structure, disproportionately harming marginalized populations while benefiting others.
Looking back at history, the so-called "Golden era" for Europe and the "New World" in the U.S. was marked by the genocide, enslavement, and impoverishment of non-white populations. The wealth generated from exploiting the Americas, Africa, and Asia came at the cost of terrorizing those regions. Mbembe emphasizes that racism is the foundation of necropolitics, as it devalues the lives of racialized people, making their suffering and deaths seem acceptable or inevitable.
This framework sheds light on why many of us view crises in the Global South as "endless" and without deeper context. These regions continue to be exploited and impoverished, while the Western world fails to fully acknowledge its role in perpetuating these systems.
Mbembe's work offers a profound perspective on the power dynamics that shape our global reality. Have you read Necropolitics or heard of Mbembe's ideas? What do you think about them? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
Image: JDDavisPoet
Cookie | Duration | Description |
---|---|---|
cookielawinfo-checkbox-advertisement | 1 year | Set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin, this cookie records the user consent for the cookies in the "Advertisement" category. |
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics | 11 months | This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". |
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional | 11 months | The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". |
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary | 11 months | This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". |
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others | 11 months | This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. |
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance | 11 months | This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". |
CookieLawInfoConsent | 1 year | CookieYes sets this cookie to record the default button state of the corresponding category and the status of CCPA. It works only in coordination with the primary cookie. |
elementor | never | The website's WordPress theme uses this cookie. It allows the website owner to implement or change the website's content in real-time. |
enforce_policy | 1 year | PayPal sets this cookie for secure transactions. |
ts | 1 year 1 month 4 days | PayPal sets this cookie to enable secure transactions through PayPal. |
ts_c | 1 year 1 month 4 days | PayPal sets this cookie to make safe payments through PayPal. |
viewed_cookie_policy | 11 months | The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data. |
Cookie | Duration | Description |
---|---|---|
LANG | 9 hours | Linkedin set this cookie to set user's preferred language. |
nsid | session | PayPal sets this cookie to enable the PayPal payment service on the website. |
tsrce | 3 days | PayPal sets this cookie to enable the PayPal payment service on the website. |
x-pp-s | session | PayPal sets this cookie to process payments on the site. |
Cookie | Duration | Description |
---|---|---|
l7_az | 1 hour | This cookie is necessary for the PayPal login function on the website. |
Cookie | Duration | Description |
---|---|---|
_ga | 1 year 1 month 4 days | Google Analytics sets this cookie to calculate visitor, session and campaign data and track site usage for the site's analytics report. The cookie stores information anonymously and assigns a randomly generated number to recognize unique visitors. |
_ga_* | 1 year 1 month 4 days | Google Analytics sets this cookie to store and count page views. |
_gcl_au | 3 months | Google Tag Manager sets the cookie to experiment advertisement efficiency of websites using their services. |
sbjs_current | session | Sourcebuster sets this cookie to identify the source of a visit and stores user action information in cookies. This analytical and behavioral cookie is used to enhance the visitor experience on the website. |
sbjs_current_add | session | Sourcebuster sets this cookie to identify the source of a visit and stores user action information in cookies. This analytical and behavioral cookie is used to enhance the visitor experience on the website. |
sbjs_first | session | Sourcebuster sets this cookie to identify the source of a visit and stores user action information in cookies. This analytical and behavioral cookie is used to enhance the visitor experience on the website. |
sbjs_first_add | session | Sourcebuster sets this cookie to identify the source of a visit and stores user action information in cookies. This analytical and behavioral cookie is used to enhance the visitor experience on the website. |
sbjs_migrations | session | Sourcebuster sets this cookie to identify the source of a visit and stores user action information in cookies. This analytical and behavioral cookie is used to enhance the visitor experience on the website. |
sbjs_session | 1 hour | Sourcebuster sets this cookie to identify the source of a visit and stores user action information in cookies. This analytical and behavioral cookie is used to enhance the visitor experience on the website. |
sbjs_udata | session | Sourcebuster sets this cookie to identify the source of a visit and stores user action information in cookies. This analytical and behavioral cookie is used to enhance the visitor experience on the website. |
Cookie | Duration | Description |
---|---|---|
IDE | 1 year 24 days | Google DoubleClick IDE cookies store information about how the user uses the website to present them with relevant ads according to the user profile. |
test_cookie | 15 minutes | doubleclick.net sets this cookie to determine if the user's browser supports cookies. |