1 Cultural appropriation (CA) is different from cultural borrowing, appreciation, or trade because of POWER dynamics. Important cultural elements are being taken by a group with more social/political/economic power & often results in originators losing control or having input
-
-
Pokaż ten wątek
-
2. Yet, a vital part of CA is that the value of that cultural element is often highlighted by the "authentic" link back to the cultural creators. Thus it is "traditional", "exotic" "magical" because of the creating culture yet that same culture lacks the ability to impact/control
Pokaż ten wątek -
3 Communities then lose agency over how their own traditions/designs/foods/art are used, consumed, changed, recreated, or monetized. What counts as "important cultural elements" is up to that cultural group, not you or the people appropriating it.
Pokaż ten wątek -
4. It is also part of Said's concept of orientalism. CA takes aspects of someone else's culture and turns it into something exotic, flat, and stereotypical. It conflates rich cultural traditions into 1 or 2 elements then used to reflect back on the appropriator's culture/values
Pokaż ten wątek -
5. A classic example of orientalism are depictions of India reduced to the exotic mystical other, characters used to reflect on materialistic & selfish America, & spirituality made convenient. Rather than allowing Indians to be fully three-dimensional & have their own motivations
Pokaż ten wątek -
6. In this sense, CA is a manifestation of orientalism because it removes important cultural elements from the control of the creators. Meanwhile, it inserts new meanings that link to the appropriator's culture while claiming the origins give it authenticity/value.
Pokaż ten wątek -
7. It is important to note that CA (as part of orientalism) can also mobilize other culture's traditions as scary, evil, or devious. My research pop practices Haitian Vodou & their religion is constantly appropriated for zombie films, evil sorcerers, or to describe bad economics
Pokaż ten wątek -
8. Cultural elements & complexes also shift importance in diasporas. Ex: the qipao is much more symbolically unifying/meaningful in the diaspora than mainland China. Similarly, relationship to the culture in question impacts the power dynamics. In other words, CONTEXT matters.
Pokaż ten wątek -
9. CA gets more complex when outsiders are invited in & encouraged to participate. What can they take back out with them requires respectful dialogue with those groups & reflection on perceptions/meanings. Avoiding CA takes work b/c respect & dialogue take work.
Pokaż ten wątek -
10 In the end, if you really love a particular cultural design, food, dance, religion, etc then you should respect it. And respect means learning about it from the ppl who created it & then being willing to respect their wishes regarding whether & how they want you to participate
Pokaż ten wątek
Koniec rozmowy
Nowa rozmowa -
Wydaje się, że ładowanie zajmuje dużo czasu.
Twitter jest przeciążony lub wystąpił chwilowy problem. Spróbuj ponownie lub sprawdź status Twittera, aby uzyskać więcej informacji.
s Science engagement