LX

culture refusal

Culture as Creative Refusal

Author and Context

  • David Graeber - Lecture delivered at the London School of Economics.
  • Key Themes: Interplay of culture and rejection of other societal values; cultural comparison as a historical political project.

Introduction to Cultural Comparison

  • Culture may be interpreted not solely as essence or evolution but as acts of conscious rejection of neighboring societal values.
    • Example: Heroic societies formed in rejection of Bronze Age urban civilizations.
    • Malagasy origins demonstrate a similar conscious rejection of Islamic values from the Indian Ocean.
  • Cultural comparison is an active process that influences history and involves self-definition in relation to other cultures.

Significant Concepts and Definitions

  • Heroic Societies: Those emerging as conscious alternatives to established socio-political forms like urbanization.
  • Schizmogenesis: The process of mutual definition or differentiation among societies based on their reactions to each other.

Cultural Comparison in Anthropology

  • Anthropologists frequently engage in cultural comparisons, drawing insights from direct and indirect observations.
    • Shift in understanding emerges from comparative studies between one’s own culture and those observed.
    • Marilyn Strathern (1990): Emphasized that anthropological theory crystallizes through comparisons leading to a recognition of diverse cultural constructs.
  • Comparisons used to refine theories of kinship, politics, and magic.

The Process of Cultural Comparison

  • Local vs. Global: Much of what happens occurs at small local levels rather than vast cultural projects. However, large-scale mutual self-definition is also influential in history.
    • Many cultural forms perceived as primordial may indeed be active political rejections.

Proposed Investigative Framework

  • Graeber proposes to investigate cultural studies focusing on heroic societies and their rejections of established norms, through the lens of various theorists:
    • Marcel Mauss: Noted for expanding notions of civilization beyond diffusionism and emphasizing constant cultural contact.
    • Cultures are defined by conscious refusals to adopt certain aspects.
    • For instance, Algonkians do not adopt Inuit kayaks, reflecting cultural choices based on identity.
    • Peter Lamborn Wilson: His work emphasizes the Effigy Mound cultures and their conscious rejection of social hierarchy, metallurgy, and urban values.
    • Effi gy Mounds as acts of self-conscious celebration of nature amidst rejection of advanced societal norms.
    • David Wengrow: Discusses the Bronze Age potlatch objecting to urban commercialization and bureaucratic values.

Emerging Themes: Cultural Refusals and Politics

  • Reactions against urban civilizations can lead to new egalitarian ideals or alternate hierarchies.
    • Example: Societies can stabilize into new forms of hierarchy or revert to egalitarianism based on refusal dynamics.
  • Madagascar serves as a notable case of cultural refusal against both urbanization and external influences.

The Case of Madagascar: Cultural Origins and Developments

  • The origins of Malagasy society reflect complex interactions and conscious decisions against hierarchical norms.
    • Historical narratives traditionally emphasized adaptive migrations that overlook powerful agency and refusal.
  • Recent research indicates early settlers consciously engaged with global contexts yet chose to establish distinct cultural structures.

Key Findings About Malagasy Origins

  • Ancestral Malagasy population likely comprised southeastern Asian women arriving around 600 CE.
    • Linguistic Evidence: Highlights connections between Malagasy and other diverse cultural origins rather than a singular Bornean influence.
    • Initial settlers displayed trade-oriented dynamics, engaging deeply with local and global contexts.
  • The decline of central trading hubs like Mahilaka showcases reactions to hierarchies and external influences on Malagasy cultural structures.

Structural Characteristics of Malagasy Society

  1. Political Values: Predominantly rejecting heroic individualism and emphasizing community consensus over personal ambition.
  2. Economic Organization: Contrasting with hierarchies, Malagasy society displays high engagement in commerce and appreciation of literacy.
  3. Cultural Jacobinism: Preserved collective identities despite external influences often framed in oppositional terms.
  4. Heroic Narratives: While once adopting heroic forms, they evolved to challenge and mock principles of heroism.

Conclusion: Toward a Theory of Creative Refusal

  • The cultural evolution of societies including the Malagasy illustrates a series of refusals where cultures define themselves against dominant norms.
  • Future research avenues could probe deeper into schizmogenetic dynamics, allowing for a fresh understanding of historical processes framed through acts of cultural refusal.

References Notable References Cited

  • Mauss, M. (2006): Conceptions of civilization emphasizing constant cultural contacts.
  • Wilson, P. L. (1998): Discussions regarding earth sculptures and their cultural implications within American anthropology.
  • Wengrow, D. (2010): Insights into the definitions of civilization against urban bureaucratic norms.

Note: Graeber's detailed analysis urges us to expand our understanding of culture, not just as a passive state of being but as a dynamic and reactive political project, encompassing refusal and engagement with surrounding societies.