Between 1953 and 1959, the Blida-Joinville Psychiatric Hospital (HPB) published a weekly magazine with the sober title Notre Journal. It was written jointly by the colonial hospital’s patients, nursing staff and doctors, and was seen as the “social cement” of a vast medical reform undertaken on the initiative of Dr Frantz Fanon. The journal was a supporter and a privileged witness of the reform, and was one of the places where socialtherapy was developed in word and deed, and where its achievements, representations and contradictions could be seen most clearly. By analysing the 165 issues that appeared in the course of the weekly’s six years of existence, this article points out the interest this source has for the history of psychiatry and its reform in colonial Algeria. A study of the copies of the journal makes it possible to separate the history of Algerian collective psychotherapy from that of its pioneer. Without downplaying Dr Fanon’s influence on the trajectory of a medical reform of which he was the architect, the aim of this article is to give the project back its historical and collective depth. By revealing the ways the junior doctors, nursing staff and patients appropriated and implemented the principles defended by the Martinican psychiatrist on a daily basis, it reminds us that socialtherapy was not simply part of the actions and itinerary of one man alone: just as the signs of collective psychotherapy preceded Frantz Fanon’s arrival in Algeria, the reform survived his departure, in spite of the problems that followed it.The article makes the in-house weekly its topic of interest and principal source, and in so doing assesses the role played by Notre Journal in the transformation of psychiatric practices at the HPB. By turns a vehicle for dissemination, a therapeutic resource, a tool for professionalisation and a political forum, the magazine was unquestionably one of the principal representatives of the paradigm supported by Dr Fanon. While it contributed to a change in the level of the reformist dynamic and was a collective voice for patients’ claims and recriminations, it also revealed a variable geometry of reform: depending on their beliefs, resources or personal status, psychiatrist, junior doctors, nurses and patients took hold of the project begun by Dr Fanon in different ways.Finally, while it makes the portrait of Algerian socialtherapy more complex, this article invites us not to overestimate the specificity of the reform engaged at the HPB. In terms of the rhetoric used in the pages of the in-house weekly, and of the protocol and treatment techniques applied, the approach that was begun in Algeria was inspired by previous experiences in Metropolitan France. What was unique about the overseas experience was for the most part of the interest shown in the local culture and beliefs, which gave rise to a cross-community paradigm that acted as a radical, alternative societal project. In the context of colonial Algeria during wartime, the journal had great difficulty maintaining its status as a safeguard in the face of intensifying political and military tensions, which in all likelihood had an impact on its disappearance.
Entre 1953 et 1959, l’hôpital psychiatrique de Blida-Joinville (HPB) fait paraître un hebdomadaire intérieur, sobrement intitulé Notre Journal. Rédigé conjointement par les malades, le personnel soignant et les médecins de l’établissement colonial, le feuillet est considéré comme le « ciment social » d’une vaste réforme thérapeutique, engagée à l’initiative du docteur Frantz Fanon. En tant que support et témoin privilégié de la réforme, le journal constitue à la fois l’un des espaces où la socialthérapie s’élabore en paroles et en actes, et où ses concrétisations, ses représentations et ses contradictions se donnent à voir le plus distinctement. À partir du dépouillement de 165 numéros parus au cours des six années d’existence de l’hebdomadaire, cet article fait valoir l’intérêt d’une telle source pour l’histoire de la psychiatrie et de sa réforme dans l’Algérie coloniale. L’analyse des exemplaires du bulletin permet d’émanciper l’histoire de la psychothérapie collective algérienne de celle de son initiateur. Sans minimiser l’influence du docteur Fanon sur la trajectoire d’une réforme thérapeutique dont il est le maître d’œuvre, l’article tend à redonner au projet toute son épaisseur historique et collective. En révélant la manière dont les internes, le personnel soignant et les malades s’approprient et mettent quotidiennement en œuvre les principes défendus par le psychiatre martiniquais, il rappelle que la socialthérapie ne se réduit pas à l’action et à l’itinéraire d’un seul homme : alors que les prémices de psychothérapie collective précèdent l’arrivée de Frantz Fanon en Algérie, la réforme survit à son départ, malgré les difficultés qui s’ensuivent. En faisant de l’hebdomadaire intérieur son objet et sa source principale, l’article évalue le rôle endossé par Notre Journal dans la transformation des pratiques psychiatriques à l’HPB. Tour à tour vecteur de diffusion, ressource thérapeutique, outil de professionnalisation et tribune politique, le bulletin s’affirme incontestablement comme l’un des principaux relais du paradigme défendu par le docteur Fanon. S’il contribue au changement d’échelle de la dynamique réformatrice et offre une portée collective aux revendications et récriminations des patients, l’hebdomadaire révèle une réforme à géométrie variable : selon leurs convictions, leurs ressources ou leurs statuts personnels, psychiatres, internes, infirmiers et malades s’emparent différemment du projet initié par le docteur Fanon.En complexifiant le portrait de la socialthérapie algérienne, cet article invite finalement à ne pas surévaluer la spécificité de l’entreprise réformatrice menée à l’HPB. Sur le plan de la rhétorique déployée dans les pages de l’hebdomadaire intérieur comme du protocole et des techniques thérapeutiques mises en œuvre, la démarche initiée en Algérie s’inspire des expériences engagées précédemment au Nord de la Méditerranée. La singularité de l’expérience menée outre-mer réside principalement dans l’intérêt manifesté pour la culture et les croyances locales, d’où découle un paradigme intercommunautaire qui fait office de projet de société radical et alternatif. Dans le contexte de l’Algérie coloniale en guerre, l’hebdomadaire a le plus grand mal à maintenir son statut de garde-fou face à l’intensification des tensions politiques et militaires, qui pèsent vraisemblablement dans la disparition du bulletin.
Entre 1953 e 1959, o Hospital Psiquiátrico de Blida-Joinville (HPB) publicou um semanário interno intitulado Nosso Jornal (Notre Journal). Redigido conjuntamente pelos doentes, pelo pessoal de enfermagem e pelos médicos do estabelecimento colonial, o folheto é considerado o “cimento social” de uma vasta reforma terapêutica, iniciada pelo doutor Frantz Fanon. Como apoio e testemunha privilegiada da reforma, o jornal constitui ao mesmo tempo um dos espaços onde a terapia social se elabora em palavras e actos, e onde as suas concretizações, representações e contradições se tornam mais evidentes. A partir do levantamento dos 165 números publicados durante os seis anos de existência do semanário, este artigo mostra o interesse desta fonte para a história da psiquiatria e da sua reforma na Argélia colonial.A análise dos exemplares do boletim permite distinguir a história da psicoterapia colectiva argelina da do seu iniciador. Sem minimizar a influência do doutor Fanon na trajectória de uma reforma terapêutica da qual ele é o grande autor, o artigo tende a devolver ao projecto toda a sua espessura histórica e colectiva. Ao mostrar a forma como os estudantes de medicina, o pessoal de enfermagem e os doentes se apropriam e aplicam quotidianamente os princípios defendidos pelo psiquiatra martiniquês, o artigo faz lembrar que a terapia social não se reduz à acção e ao itinerário de um só homem: Do mesmo modo que as primícias da psicoterapia colectiva precedem a chegada de Frantz Fanon à Argélia, também a reforma sobrevive à sua partida, apesar das dificuldades que se seguem.Fazendo do semanário interno o seu objeto e a sua fonte principal, o artigo avalia o papel assumido por Notre Journal na transformação das práticas psiquiátricas no HPB. Veículo de difusão, recurso terapêutico, ferramenta de profissionalização e tribuna política, o boletim afirma-se incontestavelmente como um dos principais meios de transmissão do paradigma defendido pelo doutor Fanon. Embora contribua para a mudança de escala da dinâmica reformadora e ofereça um alcance colectivo às reivindicações e queixas dos pacientes, o semanário revela uma reforma de geometria variável: Dependendo das suas convicções, recursos ou estatutos pessoais, os psiquiatras, os estudantes de medicina, os enfermeiros e os doentes apoderam-se, de formas diferentes, do projecto iniciado pelo doutor Fanon.Ao traçar de forma complexa o retrato da terapia social argelina, este artigo finalmente convida a não se sobreavaliar a especificidade da acção reformadora levada a cabo no HPB. No plano da retórica utilizada nas páginas do semanário interno, do protocolo e das técnicas terapêuticas aplicadas, a iniciativa desenvolvida na Argélia inspira-se em experiências anteriormente iniciadas no Norte do Mediterrâneo. A singularidade da experiência ultramarina reside principalmente no interesse manifestado pela cultura e pelas crenças locais, de onde decorre um paradigma intercomunitário que serve de projecto de sociedade radical e alternativa. No contexto da Argélia colonial em guerra, o semanário tem a maior dificuldade em manter seu estatuto de salvaguarda face à intensificação das tensões políticas e militares, que provavelmente pesam no seu desaparecimento.
