Kathryn Sears – Fictions of Feminist
Ethnography– 1.25.2017
Kamala
Visweswaran’s Fictions of Feminist
Ethnography begins, like many books investigating and interrogating
feminist theory, with an exploration of the current state of the discipline and
its adherents. To be specific, she
describes her intent in writing this book as geared towards North American
audiences despite her heritage and connection to South Asia. This is due, in large part, “to underscore
the production of these essays within a series of deconstructive debates
specifically located in the North American academy.”[1] Her intent is to discuss and deconstruct the
differences between fiction, autobiography, and ethnography, mostly within the
larger disciplines of anthropology with a smattering of feminist theory. This is a crucial and pertinent argument, as
she notes, because of the manner in which marginalized peoples have chosen to
either reject certain ethnographies in lieu of embracing other modes of
history-telling.[2] Another key element in Visweswaran’s argument
lies in her discussion of power. This is
a discussion that permeates the entirety of her book. Power lies in the stories that are told, but,
also, those who hold the ability to tell these stories. Visweswaran’s book offers an inquiry into
just this notion of power and storytelling.
She engages the reader to question not only who is telling these
stories, but how and why are they telling these stories. Furthermore, these stories hold a key to
understanding marginalized people—they are powerful. This discussion of power is one that we saw
in Tuhwai Smith’s Decolonizing
Methodologies and one that I am sure we will grapple with for the remainder
of this semester and our lives.
For my
own intents and purposes, I will focus mainly on Visweswaran’s chapter “Sari
Stories” as it offers a look at visual and material culture as a function of
the human condition. I would like to
begin with a note about the section, “Feminist Fable”, in which Visweswaran
writes, “Has not my grandmother’s voice some powerful relationship to my
own?...We were separated not only by language and generation, but by class and culture…Misunderstandings,
missed understandings—only because there is the search for understanding.”[3] In this deeply and simply poetic opening,
Visweswaran articulates the innate importance of feminist theory and, in my
experience, of material and visual culture.
There is a certain understanding and correspondence in the human
condition that spans across the globe, across cultures, and across time,
however, such stringent divides as national borders, age, etc. tend to make
this connection seem impossible or improbable.
Visual and material expression, however, can do the work of reducing this
gap and binding people to one another in solidarity of thought, feeling, and
purpose. So, Visweswaran’s chapter, “Sari
Stories,” offers a lens through which we can see the work she immersed herself
in in India not only with respect to her academic training, but with respect to
her understanding of her work in the context of humanity. The numerous incidents she recounts that all
center on the sari indicate a connection between people from the United States
and India, people from a lower class or caste to a higher class or caste, and
so on. “Sari Stories”, as the conclusion
to Visweswaran’s book offers feminist theory and the possibilities of
storytelling in a neat, easy to consume, and seemingly unproblematic
package. Without the preceding chapters
in her book, it would seem much less imperative to challenge and question the
methods by which we tell stories, investigate people, and present our work,
however, it is important to remember the possibilities of feminist theory and
of critical work.
Discussion Questions:
1.
What are
some methods for creating accountability and transparency in researching and
engaging with various communities? What
does this mean for homework versus fieldwork?
This is of interest to me as I feel that the majority of my studies and
work consist of homework with a sprinkle of fieldwork, however, this is really
up to the case.
2.
It is
understandable why fiction draws such interest, but what are some ways in which
we can create a sort of ‘true fiction’ or an accountable, critical fiction?
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