Arjun Appudrai’s work focuses on the intersection of globalization and the culture concept. As globalization has radically pulled cultures apart from a specific locality, we as anthropologists must think of a new way to approach the study of culture. As Appadurai states; “...the landscapes of group identity—the ethnoscapes---around the world are no longer familiar anthropological objects, insofar as groups are no longer tightly territorialized, spatially bounded, historically unselfconscious or culturally homogeneous” (1996:48). The other half of globalization is the reinsertion of culture into new contexts. People, idea, images are re-inscribed into new environments and things become re-localized and made part of a new place and made sense of in a new ways. As such, Appaduari urges the reader to consider “…what is the nature of locality as a lived experience in a globalized, deterritorialized world” (pp.52).
Furthermore he argues that the imagination has now acquired a singular new power in social life, and now more persons in more parts of the world consider a wider set of possible lives than they did before. “More people throughout the world see their lives through the prisms of the possible lives offered by mass media in all their forms” (1996:54), as once imagination and fantasy was only evident in certain social situations in certain contexts, now more people are integrating fantasy into their social lives on a daily basis. He suggests that “…link between the imagination and social life…is increasingly a global and deterritorialized one” (1996:55).
Drawing from Appadurais theory I will investigate Jai Ho clip to shed light on the complexities of globalization, the delocalization of culture and how this affects the creation of imaginations for various individuals.
Official YouTube version of Jai Ho from the end of the Movie Slumdog millionaire
The video depicts an elaborate bollywood style dance scene lead by the main male and female protagonist to a song entitled Jai Ho (may victory be yours). The dance sequence is interjected with clips from the Slumdog Millionaire movie, however the song is continually played throughout. The video clip can be interpreted to accomplish a number of tasks as set forth by the director, first to promote the movie and second to provide a depiction of what the movie is about. It also provides the viewer with a sense of what the country is like, as a seemingly local, territory bound culture area. Thus simultaneously contributing to the viewers imagination of India and possible lives they can imagine as embodied by the characters.
However, upon further investigation what in fact is present by the clip hardly localized at all, but rather is the result of the global flows of information, materials, and ideologies. For example the entire game show the movie is based around, (Who wants to be a Millionaire?) stems from the original show in the US and is part of a larger global phenomenon of an interest in televised game shows dating back to the late 1930’s. Furthermore the dress of the individuals of the film can hardly be said to be “traditional” or bound to the locality of India. For example many of the characters are wearing jeans, a style that originated in United States as well, originally designed for manual labor they were made popular by American teens in the 1950’s. These global commodities or interests are combined and integrated into the locality of India in unique ways, for example the questions asked on the game show are based around Indian historical cultural facts, rooted in the specific locality of the country and Indian culture. Furthermore the main female protagonist wears jeans mixed with a more traditional east Indian sari sash over her head, and many of the background dancers are dressed in perhaps a more “western style” (sneakers, jeans, t-shirts ect…).
As such the director is fabricating an imagined experience of India to construct a movie of cinematic interest for global audience with the hope of gaining a commercial profit. While attempting to display a specific local culture to a global crowd one should note that what is being presented is hardly localized at all. As such, the video is layering concepts of both local culture and the forces of globalization and it is this tension between the two that Appadurai argues, drives cultural reproduction today (1996:63).
Appadurai, Arjun
1996 Global Ethnoscapes: Notes and Queries for a Transnational Anthropology. In Modernity at Large: Cultural Dimensions of Globalization. Pp. 48-65. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Blog Posting #1: Placing Blame
Media provides an avenue for individuals to connect and engage in dialogue on a number of global and local issues. Current media practices are characterized by a multiplicity of form and content. From youtube videos, to blog forums, to official online news sources to radio reports, and of course news papers, the possibilities for consumption and engagement are endless. As such, media has become a powerful force in shaping public opinion on heated global debates and events. The current cholera outbreak in Haiti allows for an investigation into how the media has presented the event and what aspects have been emphasized. Upon an analysis of a number of varying new sources it appears as though many media outlets have been focused on blaming issues on specific groups or events, rather than recognizing the complexity of situation at hand.
What is of interest in investigating this disease outbreak and what is highlighted in many media accounts is the fact that there has been no documented outbreak of cholera in Haiti since the 1960’s (Aljazeera Online 2010). This outbreak came as a surprise given the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s statement in March, that was presented during the public health response to the January earthquake which stipulated that cholera was “extremely unlikely to occur in Haiti” (2010). Thus the surprise that has resulted from the outbreak has resulted in discourse from news sources to focus on the imperative need to determine causation and place blame. When investigating stories it is clear that much of the blame is being placed on the Nepalese UN peacekeeping operation, which was located on the upper reaches of the Artibonite river (thought to be the source of the outbreak). Cholera is endemic in Nepal and the country suffered outbreaks this summer, the troops arrived in shifts starting on October 9th 2010 after the outbreak in their home country and shortly before the disease broke out in Haiti. As stated by 25-year-old Haitian student Ernest Exilume; "The Nepalese brought this disease to the centre of Mirebalais…we have no water to drink…we have no choice but to drink the water from the river." (Aljazeera Online 2010).
This blame in turn has manifested itself into violent protests and uprisings by many Haitian people, which has had the unfortunate consequence of limiting the ability for foreign aid groups such as OXFAM and Doctors Without Borders to provide critical medical care. Furthermore many aid organizations are critical of the slow pace of international donations in response to the crisis (BBC 2010). Edmond Mulet, the head of the UN mission in Haiti, said that; “…violent protests by people who blame peacekeepers for the spread of the disease were wasting time and costing lives” (qtd in BBC 2010). The article and accompanying video in my opinion heavily blame protestors for the inability of effective aid to reach areas where cholera is rampant.
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From a historical standpoint Haiti is a colony based originally on plantation economy powered by slave labor from Africa (Schwartz 2010). By 1794 the slave uprising began and within 10 years French colonists were excised. As noted by Schwartz; “…there exists outside Haiti no other case of an enslaved people breaking its own chains and using military might to defeat a powerful colonial power”(2010). What accompanied this independence however was a “…devastated economy and infrastructure as well as hostility with much of the rest of the world’s rulers” (Schwartz 2010). This was followed by occupations of various troops from other countries and dictatorial regimes leading to a mismanagement of resources and the deterioration of the countries infrastructure. I must commend this media article in recognizing the historicity of the situation, however it should be noted that most articles I came across did not include such references. In turn many focused on the immediate situation at hand, quickly passing blame and judgment where they deemed appropriate. Perhaps by making recognition of historical and political events such as the US occupation from 1915 to 1934 (Schwartz 2010), some of the ambivalence presented by Haitian people would be understood and in turn dealt with in a more effective manner. As stated by Gourevitch; “The scenes of suffering that we tend to call humanitarian crises are almost always symptoms of political circumstances, and there’s no apolitical way of responding to them—no way to act without having a political effect” (2010:106).
The inadequacy of aid, cholera epidemic and riots are complex in etiology and I don’t believe we can place blame to a single source. Although I do believe the media reports can be credited with creating a global awareness of the cholera epidemic allowing for intervention from outside countries, I do not believe that placing blame on certain groups is an effective method of dealing with a situation that is extremely complex, multifaceted and historical in nature
2010 Haiti cholera outbreak response 'inadequate', says MSF. Accessed Online February 1st 2010 <http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-11802488>
Center for Disease Control and Prevention: Acute Watery Diarrhea and Cholera: Haiti Pre-decision Brief for Public Health Action
2010 Accessed Online January 31st 2011
<http://emergency.cdc.gov/disasters/earthquakes/haiti/waterydiarrhea_pre- decision_brief.asp>
Reference:
Aljazeera Online
2010. UN troops blamed for Haiti cholera: Nepalese peacekeepers accused by some of bringing disease as Tropical Storm Tomas heads towards country. Accessed Online November 7th 2010 <http://english.aljazeera.net/news/americas/2010/10/20101029213344370246.html>
BBC News
2010 Haiti cholera outbreak response 'inadequate', says MSF. Accessed Online February 1st 2010 <http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-11802488>
Center for Disease Control and Prevention: Acute Watery Diarrhea and Cholera: Haiti Pre-decision Brief for Public Health Action
2010 Accessed Online January 31st 2011
<http://emergency.cdc.gov/disasters/earthquakes/haiti/waterydiarrhea_pre- decision_brief.asp>
Central Intelligence Agency (2010) World FactBook: Central America and Caribbean: Haiti. Accessed online January 31st 2011: <https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ha.html >
Gourevitch, Philip
2010 Alms Dealer: Can you provide humanitarian aid without facilitating conflict? The New Yorker.
Schwartz, Daniel
January 14 2010 Haiti’s Unhappy History. CBC News. Accessed Online January 29th 2011 < http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2010/01/13/f-haiti-earthquake-history.html >
Blog Posting #4: Writing on the Bathroom Stall: An Analysis of Bathroom Graffiti on UBC Campus
Graffiti as defined by Webster’s dictionary (2010) is an unauthorized drawing or writing on a public surface, as such the graffiti is interpreted differently as dependent on context, content and who is viewing it. From an anthropological standpoint Drumuller defines graffiti as the “…written cultural phenomena making use both of symbolic and iconic language” (1988:1). It may also be a reflection of contemporary customs and moral values revealing details about everyday life through a highly structured communication medium (Rodriguez and Clair 1999:2)
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| Washroom SUB (first floor) |
A key aspect of the bathroom graffiti, and many other forms of graffiti in general is the fact that it is anonymous and there are no rules in what can be written. Everyone has the opportunity in the bathroom stall to say anything, however, and to anyone. In this way the washroom graffiti can act to “level the playing the field” by eliminating factors such as the social status, education, access, expertise and communication competence, t certain individuals are not advantageously privileged nor benefit over others when accessing this medium of expression (Rodriquez and Clair 1999:2). As such, the ability to present ones thoughts in a public forum is limited only by the lack of a writing instrument and ones own personal judgments towards participating in graffiti production.
According to Bruner and Kelso, although written in the privacy of the toilet stall, the writing of graffiti in this arena is essentially a social act “…to write graffiti is to communicate; one never finds graffiti where they cannot be seen by others” (1980:5). As such, graffiti exists as a rhetorical form, one that invites individual to participate in the conversation and become a collaborator in the creation bathroom dialogue mural. A new person coming to a toilet stall who chooses to write graffiti must take account of what has previously been written, even in the minimal sense of choosing an appropriate location on the wall.
Furthermore graffiti may also be seen as an “…outlet for people to express their attitude with regard to race, gender and sexual orientation” (Rodriquez and Clair 1999:2). Indeed this is evident in my collected bathroom graffiti dialogue, for example in response to a statement one individual writes;
Yes I am grateful I wasn’t born a muslim woman, their life looks s*****y, I am also grateful I wasn’t born an Asian gurl, all azns just suck they are ugly and huge losers-Anonymous (Woodward washroom stall in response to statement 2)
Here the graffitist presents her viewpoint on Muslim and Asian people in a distinctly derogatory manner, without fear of retribution or rebuttal through direct confrontation. Others do respond to such statements through the same anonymous media forum through the use of arrows pointing to the statement with accompanying retorts. For example in response to the above statement one individual wrote; “Racist much? You should be ashamed of yourself!”. Other times unfavorable comments were crossed out by others in response. The washroom graffiti provides an opportunity for racist, sexist or homophobic speech to exist without any true sanctions or repercussions from organizations (in this case UBC). Rodriguez and Clair suggest comments on washroom stalls that are sexist, racist or homophobic may “…establish or reinforce the privileging aspects of patriarchal practices, thus, supporting hegemonic order” (1999:3).
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| Woodward Library Washroom |
On the other hand scholars also note that when larger organizing bodies mute public discourses, graffitists resort to public walls to hold such dialogue. This allows conflicts and concerns to be equally visible and known to all that choose a certain stall. This may in fact “…challenge the hegemonic order…in so doing all members of a cultural group, by way of accessibility are equally potential participants and discussants in such discourses” (Rodriquez and Clair 1999:3). For example in many of the stalls I noticed that there was considerable writing against such derogatory statements, presenting a way for cultural groups (ie: Asians or Muslims) to unify around a common discourse. Many individuals retorted to the presented derogatory comment by writing things in their own dialect, hence participating in their own conversation against such racially charged statements while similarly revealing aspects of their identity. Rodriguez and Clair thus suggest that a tension exists with graffiti (especially in bathroom stalls) between it being an enactment of resistance or an articulation of oppression practices, noting that it is possible for graffiti to be both (1999:3).
Not all of the graffiti I found engaged in racial arguments, many were also random notes or poems expressing an individuals thoughts and feelings (see SUB washroom notes) that individuals could express publicly in an anonymous manner. As such, the graffiti in the UBC washrooms exists as a communicative practice from which to gain insight on tensions between groups, ideologies, and general self-expression. It is a unique expressive space, where anonymity plays a central role.
Quotes Collected From Bathroom Stalls
Woodward Library Washroom: All in one stall
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| Woodward Library Washroom (evidence of erasure by others) |
(1) Sometime I wish I had ADD so then at least I would have an excuse for not studying
(2)(In response to 1)There are some places in the world where women aren’t even allowed an education, sold to some f**** by 12, having babies at 14 their first experience at s*** is rape and they aren’t allowed to pick up a book! Maybe you all should stop b******* about how much studying cuts into your fbook time be grateful you’re in the tiny minority of women worldwide whoa re literate and study medicine
(3)(In response to 2) Exactly, don’t complain about your own privileged choices
(4)(Arrows indicating in response to 2) Written in Japanese, followed by other notes written in Japanese and Chinese (unsure)
(4) VOTE or DIE B********
SUB Washroom First Floor: All in one Stall
(5) You’re on a rack
floating through space
(6) I am
Je suis
Yo Soy
Reference:
Durmuller, U.
1988 Sociolinguistic aspects of mural sprayscripts (Graffiti). Sociolinguistics 17(1):-16.
Bruner, Edward and Kelso, Jane
1980 Gender differences in graffiti: A semiotic perspective. Women’s studies International Quarterly 3(1):137-148
Rodriquez, Amardo and Clair, Robin
1999 Graffiti as communication: Exploring the discursive tensions of anonymous texts. Southern Communication Journal 65(1):1-15
Websters Online Dictionary
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