Introduction If one is to investigate the academic circles today, s/he can soon realize that every academic field is being divided into further specializations and each researcher is asked to narrow down their focus and to do a more meticulous study. This is something which I have personally become conscious of as an anthropology student—seeing that a major difference between... Continue Reading →
Art and Structural Violence: A Reflection on ‘The Act of Killing’
Foucault states that power’s success is proportional to its ability to hide its own mechanisms (1978: 86). But what happens when power, acquired with means of violence, not only hides itself but is applauded by masses? What if violence becomes a trait of an identity that is celebrated? The documentary ‘The Act of Killing’ precisely... Continue Reading →
Orientalism / Edward W. Said
Edward Said, Palestinian intellectual, literary theorist, historian of the colonial narrative explains how colonialism works. Not just through armies, but through literature. Not just through conquest, but through anthropology. Not just through oppression but justified through narrative. He shows how the West painted a picture of the 'East'. Snake charmers, belly dancers, thieves... The exotic,... Continue Reading →