ANTH V1130 – Africa and the anthropologistLiterature review 2Tyler GibbonsLiterature review 2“Europe in reverse: the errors of New Afrocentrism” by Kwame Anthony Appiah and “On National Culture” by Frantz Fanon each explore different aspects linked to a common theme: identity. Appiah takes a concise approach to Afrocentrism and its various facets, while Fanon elaborates extensively on what constitutes national identity and how its desires are legitimized. The two authors analyze national culture and the importance of understanding history to move a country or region forward. I will discuss and evaluate the context of national identity and culture across both authors and evaluate their broader approaches and arguments. Fanon's "National Culture" aims to help diverse cultures around the world, primarily African American culture, rediscover who they are and how their culture and customs are unique even though they have lost their identity due to colonization . According to Fanon, “we will analyze the problem, considered fundamental, of the legitimacy of the claims of a nation” (146). Throughout his text, he argues that it is not so much the importance of establishing a national culture to pursue decolonization goals as the meaning of a national identity, or a national culture. For many countries, their national identity stems from their rich past and some of the goals on which the nation was initially founded. What Fanon observes, however, is that colonialism prevents this sense of nostalgia from fostering a national culture. He states that “colonialism looks to the past of the oppressed people, distorts, disfigures and destroys it…the effect consciously sought by the colonial narrative… middle of paper…. However, they both agree that history is meaningful and vital for forward-looking societies. The need for African cultures to find a common historical root that could unify the people of Africa cannot be overemphasized. In this globalized world, cultures continue to be defined with an emphasis on the present and the future. As Kwesi Dickson said: “The Africa of today is not the Africa of yesterday. Times have changed.” These two writers, Kwame Anthony Appiah and Frantz Fanon, explore the notion of cultural identity and its importance. There is no easy solution to what they argue, but it is possible to anticipate by being informed about the past and present. Work cited Kwame Anthony Appiach, Europe Upside Down: Fallacies of the new Afrocentrism (1997), 728-731. Frantz Fanon, On national culture (1963), 145-180.