Subject: Re: Take the money and fight !
Date: Thu, 25 May 2000 04:48:37 +1200


I'm an undergrad of  'third world' origin, and feel inclined to add my two
cents into this debate.

Eric says - in a post that I can otherwise completely nod in agreement too -

> > ... some people are
> > being a little disingenuous when they draw their
> > salaries from institutions
> > funded by certain reasonably prosperous states,
> > while at the same time
> > railing against every move made by these same states
> > and their neighbours.

My gut reaction to this is that academic 'loyalty', if you like, can quite
separate from political, or cultural loyalty. I see no reason why any
academic should feel even vaguely compelled to restrain from voicing
disagreement with the policy of an adopted state or country. To argue Eric's
point seems to ignore plurality of intellectual and cultural existence. This
same post continues

> > Those who wish to change the world by violence
> > should be prepared to fight
> > and die next to their comrades on the barricades,
> > rather than becoming
> > desktop revolutionaries, perpetuating the struggle
> > from the safe sanctuary
> > of academe in the metropolitan countries.

Now this is just laughably literal. The same 'battles' can be fought in
different and complementary forms through academic discourse... for every
Indian or African intellectual to seek restorative justice in the trenches
and 'die with their comrades' is to completely ignore the contributions -
real, in my opinion - that intellectual discourse can make. Wittingly or
not, this seems to say that for an academic to operate outside of a
political/cultural mode they disagree in any way is to be escapist. Eric
does not elaborate on what possible cause will be served by these noble, and
in my opinion, rather unpragmatic deaths.

It seems to me that intellectuals who operate from outside a Eurocentric
consciousness within a 'Western' context have  significant contributions to
make. To mention only one, they open a door to more authentic appreciation
of the 'Other' than can be gleaned from an alien looking in. In my untutored
opinion - not having encountered PoCo studies academically - this should be
among the basic motivators of any post-colonial literatures student. To put
it differently, the flaws in any system can be changed meaningfully only
from the inside. Wolf wrote

> Access to western academic institutions is of
> paramount importance to third world scholars (even
> those who support revolutionary causes). Such scholars
> are in a unique position to create a bridge of
> understanding between east and west (as well as
> criticise every criminal foreign policy pursued by the
> western country where they are working).  Perhaps not
> coming from a third world country yourself, you fail
> to appreciate that point.
>
> So in conclusion, my advice to third world scholars
> working in the west is simple: take the money and
> fight.

I say, Bravo. I most certainly will.

If this covers ground already dealt with, my apologies for the rant
 Michelle Menzies




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