EP.056: Dr. Walter A. Rodney Digitally Remastered Disquisition

Dr. Walter Anthony Rodney (March 23, 1942 – June 13, 1980) Although it has been over forty years since the cowardly and brutal assassination of our dearly beloved brother Dr. Walter Anthony Rodney (aka Dr. W.A.R.), his intrepid spirit lives on with us today. While the quisling, pelf worshipping assassins succeeded in destroying Dr. Rodney physically, they paradoxically immortalized him. Dr. Rodney’s life was/is the personification of an uncompromised intellectual who committed, what Amilcar Cabral called, class suicide in service of the people. Assiduously devoted to theory and practice, or better said conscientization, the life of Dr. Walter Anthony Rodney, from an African cosmological perspective, can be seen as an orisha or loi. The relevance of Dr. Walter Rodney’s life and work is now an eternal guiding principal or law that future generations can call upon to fortify themselves when in struggle and service to the people. In this episode of Conscientization 101 Podcast, we proudly present a Conscientization 101 digitally remastered disquisition by Dr. Walter Anthony Rodney called Crisis in the Periphery: Africa and the Caribbean. In addition, we also discuss the following: Walter Anthony Rodney’s magnum opus How Europe Underdeveloped Africa Cultural hegemony as it relates to the European worldview The recent passing of novelist, essayist, and poet George Lamming, and his relationship to the work of Dr. Walter Anthony Rodney The writings of Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o and how they relate to Dr. Walter Anthony Rodney. Also, the coincidental relationship between us finishing Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o’s novel Devil on the Cross in 2012, with the release of Akala’s 2013 album The Thieves Banquet and much more, such as our charm, ironic humor, sardonic quips, and wit to boot! You do not want to miss this episode!   This episode features music from: Cyclonious – “We Back At it” from his album Heroes For Hire 2 Conscientization 101– "Decolonize This? Properly Defining Settlers – Part 1" from our Musical Commentaries collection Akala – “The Thieves Banquet” from his album The Thieves Banquet Raggo Zulu Rebel – “99 Names” from his album God Complex Cyclonious – “Live Up” from his album Heroes For Hire  Books referenced in this episode: Walter Rodney Speaks: The Making of an African Intellectual by Walter Rodney How Europe Underdeveloped Africa by Walter Rodney A History of the Guyanese Working People, 1881-1905 by Walter Rodney Decolonial Marxism: Essays From The Pan-African Revolution by Walter Rodney The Russian Revolution: A View from the Third World by Walter Rodney Devil on the Cross by Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o Petals of Blood by Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o A Grain of Wheat by Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o In the Castle of My Skin by George Lamming