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Africa
There are many ambiguities in the concept of being Western. Many individual use this description without fully understanding what it means or how the term developed. Generally when people are using the term 'the West" or Western, they are simply referring to a lifestyle that includes a certain standard of living that includes a certain material well-being. Yet this broad and all-encompassing term is used without any clear meaning or substance in normal discourse. The term is not innocent, and it is used to further ideological perspectives that are biased towards a certain culture and set of values.
The colonial period in South Africa is interesting to study because it exemplifies some of the social contexts in which culture crashes can framed and the discourse that is used in the literature. The local natives in South Africa were viewed in a very negative manner and the discourse makes many claims of idleness and primitiveness. However, this perception was born out of ignorance and bias. This analysis will focus on the Hottentot tribe in South Africa and the discourse that was used to describe their tribe and their way of life. This tribe provides an enlightening use of discourse theory because the discourse used represents many hypocrisies and biasness towards the "other."
Problem Statement
How did the discourse used by early settlers in South Africa help shape the culture and the perceptions that emerged about the native peoples? Why was this important and what does the discourse reveal?
Key Concepts
It is somewhat difficult to provide a definition to discourse analysis in reference to its use as a research tool. Instead of being a formalized methodology, it is more of a mind-set or epistemological approach. In this sense, Discourse Analysis is neither a qualitative nor a quantitative research method, but a manner of questioning the basic assumptions of quantitative and qualitative research methods. Discourse Analysis does not provide a tangible answer...
An example is provided in the text. Palestinians' fighting to regain land in the West Bank can either be referred to as "freedom fighters" or "terrorists"[footnoteRef:1]. Whichever term is chosen carries an ideological perspective that biases the individual simply by choosing the term. [1: (Hall)]
Using the discourse analysis is a relatively new phenomenon. Linguistic theories have penetrated the humanities and social sciences in recent decades and offer an interdisciplinary alternative to historical inquiry. The attractiveness of this approach is fairly clear though there is a wide array of possible applications. Whenever you use language you are representing a particular discourse no matter how you try to avoid it. The extent of the level of control that an individual has over the discourse is definitely debated, however the discourse selected provides many insights into the social practices of any given time period. Several ideas can be teased out by examining what is included in the discourse, or not included, and this can reveal many aspects of society as well as individual perceptions.
Although it is natural to look at the historical discourse through a skeptical perspective, it is important to realize that many intellectuals in history viewed the current events as truth based on their experience. As a result of their historical perspectives, it is interesting to study the spread of Western culture and their peoples because these ideas are often taken for granted in the modern perspective. This provides a perfect example because it is difficult to imagine the historical perspectives that prevailed in the minds of the population of who were exposed to discourse that promoted ideas of conquest and colonization. Much of the research that has been dedicated to studying this trend makes certain assumptions about the spread of…
Works Cited
Coetzee, J. Idleness in South Africa. Binghamton: Yale University Press, 1988. Digital.
Hall, S. "The West and the Rest: Discourse and Power." n.d.
However, how are these hardships related to the civil strife and militia? It is this point that is unclear. Edgerton provides more of a subjective review of what he feels is going on and provides a few factual details to support this, but provides little in the way of detail and real conjecture, which would help the average person discern what steps the people of Africa should take to
Africa and the Anthropologist Literature Review AFRICA AND THE ANTHROPOLOGIST: LITERATURE REVIEW The work of Lefkowitz (2012) and the work of Bernal (1996) oppose one another on the history of Greece as it relates to the history of Egypt with each of these authors making valid points for their argument however, Lefkowitz stubbornly refuses to consider that anything good or worthy could have arisen out of Africa while the evidence is clearly
As depicted here, the other female actresses in the film -- played by actual Africans -- are naked above the waist. The white actress is not. Indeed, the lower photograph depicts Gehrts-Schomburgk reclining on a leopard skin rug, while a topless native woman fans her with an elaborate fan made of feathers. The ludicrous excess of the colonialist fantasy could not be more evident here. Yet this actress is the
Europe and Africa Understanding the Emergence of 'Ethnicity' and the Nation-State The historical emergence of ethnicities and nation-states in Europe and in Africa is continually questioned and re-interpreted by historians, sociologists, anthropologists, and mass media. Depending on the perspective of the author and the intention of the narrative, ethnicity can be seen as a colonial construct or as an inherent cultural identity through which more similarities with other ethnicities may be noted
SUMMARY C In "On the concept of function in social science," the author considers what purpose social institutions serve. He starts by looking at Durkheim's definition, and then draws parallels between social life and organic life. He interprets the word "needs" as things that are "necessary conditions for existence." Thus, he views social institutions as directly related to survival. He suggests that societies should be analyzed in terms of morphology, physiology,
European colonialism in Africa was heterogeneous and complex, with multiple interest groups often competing for resources or clashing over the fundamental purposes of their endeavors. Without a doubt, the vast majority of European colonial enterprise in Africa was exploitative in nature, either tacitly or implicitly. The rise of geographic societies and the field of anthropology did a lot to raise awareness of the realities of exploitation and attempted to offer