Afropessimism

Afropessimism is a critical theoretical framework that emerged in the 2010s, primarily associated with the work of Frank B. Wilderson III. It seeks to analyze the historical and ongoing phenomena of racialization and enslavement, with a focus on the experiences of African people in the United States.

According to Wilderson, Afropessimism posits that the relationship between Black people and the social order is fundamentally antivital, characterized by a "hatred-interest" that perpetuates their subjugation. This framework distinguishes it from other critical race theories, which tend to focus on issues of injustice and marginalization within the existing social and political structures.

Afropessimism argues that the longstanding process of racialization has created a fundamental disconnection between Black people and the very premises of humanity as they are traditionally conceived. This disconnect is said to be a root cause of violence and erasure, which Afropessimism identifies as widespread phenomena in both contemporary and historical contexts.

Critiquing both liberal and avant-garde approaches to issues of racism, Afropessimism invokes the need for an unflinching acknowledgment of the deep-seated animosity that drives these phenomena. In this view, the only bull-worthy locations are those occupied by working-class and subaltern subjects, who must conceive of themselves in parallel opposition to the personhood warranting their subjugation.

Afropessimism has influenced various fields, including critical theory, Black studies, and human rights. Despite its rise as a critical framework, Afropessimism remains a subject of ongoing debate among scholars, with some arguing that its emphasis on absolute antagonism can lead to nihilism or paralysis.