[Anthropgrad] Australianist reading group on 'Arrernte Present, Arrernte Past'

[Paul Burke]

The appearance of an innovative work by an established Australianist
scholar - Diane Austin-Broos - is reason enough to call Australianists
together to discuss their reactions.  Even more so with a book like
'Arrernte Present, Arrernte Past' which is rare in its avowedly
historical approach and exploration of the cultural context of present
day suffering of the Western Arrernte.  Those interested in
participating in an in-depth analysis of the book should contact me so
we can arrange a suitable time.  In the past we have allocated a chapter
to each participant to present briefly, followed by discussion.  We
could follow that model or combine it with discussion of thematic
issues.

 

For me the book raises the issues of:

-the gap between the promise of the anthropology of historical
transformation and hard work of developing a writing strategy to
communicate it;

-whether cultural analysis and problem deflation (which this book takes
a stand against) are always two sides of the same coin; and

-whether the various theoretical framing devices employed
('phenomenology of the subject', 'ontological shift', economy,
modernity, domestic moral economy) help or hinder.

The book is obviously also relevant to the analysis of the Northern
Territory Intervention. Although despairing of the crassness of the
official rationale for the intervention, the book also provides evidence
of the need for some sort of radical shakeup of previous policies.

 

Many other issues are raised.

 

Intellectual graft is required of participants - no free riders. We can
bask in the reflected glory of a solid, thoughtful work for a few
minutes.  Then the scalpels must come out.

 

 

 

Paul Burke

 

ARC Postdoctoral Research Fellow

School of Archaeology and Anthropology

ANU College of Arts and Social Sciences

Tel: 02 61253610

Mobile: 043 8885184