Intro to Cultural Anthropology Notes 4/14/10, Cultural Exchange and Survival

How do people resist assimilation? Domination? Analytical tools for understanding domination and oppression in modern world system. Public/Hidden Transcripts (James Scott)

Antonio Gramsci, Italian Marxist How can one group dominate another? Dominance of one social group over another by means of an ideology that justifies why a stratified social order (e.g., by socioeconomics, race/ethnicity, gender) is in everybody’s best interest. Theoretical explanation for how a diverse society can be dominated by one social group.

Cultural norms (institutions, practices, beliefs) are not “natural”. Cultural norms are rooted in relations between dominant and subordinate social groups (class). Cultural norms are used to uphold the stratified social order.

Coercive rule is expensive and unstable: Better option is to persuade subordinates that social order is in everybody’s best interest. If as a dominant group you want to rule using coercion is risky, dangerous, could lead to outright upheaval and resistance, better to create an ideology that people can believe in Ideology (state level; political) creates illusion that relations between dominant and subordinate groups are mutually beneficial. Goal: get subordinate groups to comply with stratified social order without using coercion.

Purpose - resisting hegemonic powerPublic Transcript: Public interactions between dominators and oppressed. Hidden Transcript: Critique of power by the oppressed that occurs in domains hidden from the eyes of the oppressors

In Nepal – lamas have high social status, everybody owes labor to lama, lots that supports this – visible displays of subordination – have to bend down in front of lamas Hidden transcripts – proverbs (lamas are rich men’s sons – ascribed rather than achieved status, double standard) Public transcript – dominator = teacher, oppressed = student (polite deference), hidden transcript – hidden from dominator’s view

Hidden transcripts can be transformed into public expressions against hegemony. Resistance can be disguised rather than openly defiant. Course evaluations as weapons of weak Public transcript – I really like this class, professor Hidden transcript – pointed criticisms in anonymous format As a weapon – disguised in order to keep public order

Hegemoic discourse and stereotypes Blacks are inferior, they need our guidance Blacks are happy under our guidance One group has power, the other doesn’tDevelopment of unique forms of music in SouthNew musical tradition in Mississippi Delta Area – about resistance to hegemonic discourse and stereotypes If you was white, should be all right, but as you’s black oh brother get back, get back, get back à overt resistance to idea that blacks inferior, should hold that position happilyMajor migration of blacks from rural South to big, industrial cities during 1940s, 1950s – leads to this change in music (impact on Midwest blues)Lots of songs, musical instruments (i.e. slide guitar) being re-discovered by different artists – become mainstream when picked up by rock band

Featured actual famous Blues musicians, including John Lee Hooker The Message Urban = cool and progressive Rural = redneck and racist

Early Blues (c. 1900) Veiled from public, not real music Hidden transcript against legacies of slavery Blues goes mainstream White and black musicians transform blues into rock and roll, a rebellious new form of music (protest song, social commentary) Listening to blues and rock becomes form of resistance (against parental authority) of white youths Music becomes weapon of the weak to critique mainstream

Belgian Congo – colonized by King Leopold Colonial expansion – Leopold versus Msiri Talking Drum – verbal/tonal language enabled complex communication through drums and drumming Postal Workers – Ghana Forbidden to speak during tedious work, used music (stamping) Miners, South Africa - forbidden to speak during dangerous work, communicate with and entertain each other through tapping with gumboots Fela Anikulapo Kuti Musician – created Afro Beat – fusion of West African music, jazz, James Brown style singing Political View: Pan – Africanist influenced by 1960s black power movement Political Activism – criticizing post-colonial dictatorships (i.e. Nigeria) and corruption, “Zombie” – Kuti’s critique of Nigerian government Somalia – lots of political turmoil, lots of people living in neighboring countries K’naan – Somalia – poetic and musical genres as socially sanctioned spaces to articulate grievances and social critique, K’naan blends Somali poetics with rap

As communication - connecting people, archiving information, spreading news Rapid communication Raises social awareness, challenge authority of post-colonial governments Music is constantly being remade, re-interpreted