Date: Sun, 2 Jul 2000 08:44:12 -0400 ()
From: Terry Goldie <tgoldie-AT-YorkU.CA>
Subject: Re: Fighting with words


As to "the emperor's new clothes", sorry but too tired of that one. I have
been opposing the opposition to "jargon" for more than 20 years and all I
can do is repeat Spivak: there is no untainted thought. If the language
doesn't work, change it, but if it's just too hard, don't dismiss it by
attacking "heteroglossia."
As to who lives where, the system of empire remains the same it has always
been: 1)bright young [man] is sent from the imperial centre to the colony.
If he then becomes stupid he is abandoned. If he remains reasonably bright
he is put in charge. If he becomes very bright he is brought back to the
centre. 2) Bright young [man] is found in the colony and brought to the
centre. If he then becomes stupid he is abandoned, either in the depths of
the empire's civil service or back home. If he remains reasonably bright
he is sent back to the colony in some important position. If he becomes
very bright he is put in charge of the colony or perhaps even kept in the
centre to become advisor on colonial affairs.
The obvious problem with this system as it applies in universities is it
usually leads to the dismissal of thought actually produced in the
"colony." Certain academics from Africa and India have asserted this only
to then themselves move to the centre. There is no reasonable answer to
this. I live in a "colony" which offers nice salaries, a nice standard of
living and at least a partial entry to the publication possibilities of
the American academy. So who am I to attack those who leave Ghana to teach
in the USA? But it is sad that the rise of "postcolonial studies" in the
USA seems to have made the process worse rather than better.
terry 

Terry Goldie
English Department
York University
North York, Ontario
Canada
M3J 1P3
voice: 416-604-3670
fax: 416-736-5412
email: tgoldie-AT-yorku.ca



     --- from list postcolonial-AT-lists.village.virginia.edu ---