Africa and the Anthropologist Article Review

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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 to problems based on scientific research, but it enables access to the ontological and epistemological assumptions behind a project, a statement, a method of research.

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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….....

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