Feb 1st- Alexia Bacon

This week’s selection of readings discussed researchers conducting research through non-traditional narratives.  All the readings discuss to some extent how there is never one way to look at people’s stories/culture.   The researchers discuss finding the middle ground and when researching indigenous cultures there should not be a dominant narrative when being studied.  All of the readings for the week discuss in some sense how cultures are multifaceted and should be represented in that what through research.

An article that I found especially interesting was James Clifford’s Indigenous Articulations.  In this article he discusses the history of the island of New Caledonoia.  Through the example of using this particular island’s history Clifford discusses “indigeneity” and Articulation Theory.  When writing about Articulation Theory Cilfford states that cultures, traditions, and communities are in a constant state of change.  Clifford goes on to say that it is important to acknowledge that cultures are diverse, organic, and that everything within them has a counterpart.  

It was interesting to think of research in a nonlinear way.  It makes sense that anthropologists would conduct their studies in a nonlinear manner.  People’s narratives, culture, traditions, and political movements more often then not occur out if order and out of peoples control.    Once again this weeks readings pull from a very abstract perspective.  It is difficult to teach yourself to think of things within cultures and histories as something that is organic and continuously changing, but it does make sense as to why that is a beneficial/necessary thing to do.  People are dynamic and because of that it could be assumed that culture would be dynamic as well. 

Although the readings this week focus on research, I feel that it made me examining things in my own non-research work.  Working with young people in the field of youth development you work with a lot of people from many different cultures and many different histories.  I think that it becomes easy to group people stories together.  This weeks readings reminded me to continue to be conscious of how dynamic young people’s narratives are. 

Discussion Questions

·      What is the importance of overcoming oppression in order to form identity discussed?  Isn’t understanding and knowing one’s own oppressions a major form of identity itself?

·      Is there danger in thinking too broad or too widespread when conducting research on people’s culture and histories?