TENSIONS OF
STEREOTYPES AS POLITICS
JASDEV SINGH RAI
BEING SMART
A new history of stereotyping (Unknown Binding)
by George A Kubler (Author)
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SPECTRUM
• PREVALENT IN SOME CULTURES
MORE THAN OTHERS
• SIGNIFICANTLY ASSOCIATED WITH
MODERNITY
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RACE
NATION
CIVILISATION
IDEOLOGY, RELIGION PHILOSOPHY
RACE
UNESCO – RACE IS UNSCIENTIFIC
CONCEPTS OF RACE TREMENDOUS INFLUENCE IN
LAST 3 CENTURIES
Kant’’s ideas on race Justified colonialism as moral
‘In the hot countries the human being matures in all
aspects earlier, but does not, however, reach the
perfection of those in the temperate zones. Humanity is
at its greatest perfection in the race of the whites. The
yellow Indians do have a meagre talent. The Negroes
are far below them and at the lowest point are a part of
the American peoples.’ PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY
ANTI RACISM
• Anti racism drive
significantly
successful
• Anti racism negative, locked in a
colonial battle
• Diversity as a positive
conceptual basis
DIVERSITY
subliminal level anti racism satisfies a sense of superiority with implicit power relation
Anti racism mostly white – non white issue
Others keep their discriminations out, i.e. Caste.
ANTI-RACISM: THE NON WHITES PLEADING TO WHITES FOR
EQUALITY AND FREEDOM FROM DISCRIMINATION
.
subtle dynamics of stereotyping between whites and non whites
article on diversity in World Con against Racism
White problem coping with diversity.
Resistance by American Africans, Afro-Caribbean in UK and European states.
Russia introduced it.
stereotype: Sikhs seek equality
Sikhs don’t care. Wont play the victim
NATION
• Stereotype of nation
as Westphalia secular
Nation-State system.
• Associated with
territory.
• In India Congress and
BJP both trying to
conflate state with
nation
NON TERRITORIAL NATION
QAUM
SIKHS
• Emerged as a nation across
state boundaries
• Not dependent on territory
• Gurdwara: territorial unit
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Flag
Language
Political organisation
Institutions
Identity
Coexist with others
A benign nation when not
threatened with assimilation
NEGOTIATING COEXISTENCE
SIKHS
1920s Very powerful peace
movement in Punjab
INDIA
1947 centralising constitution
No minority safeguard
1929 negotiated agreement
1. safeguard for minorities
2. Strong federal structure
3. veto on constitution
Not comfortable with
Secularisation of public
Domain. Seen as inconsistent
with Indian civilisation
Continually attempting to
conjure a nation called India
and Indian
Obsessed with secularity
CONFLICT OF
MISUNDERSTANDINGS
1955 India redrew boundaries based on language. Sikh dominated Punjab not considered
17 major languages , many dialects.
Sikhs accused State of malice, attempting to destroy Sikhs
State accused Sikhs of secessionist designs
1976 emergency, suspension of democracy in India
Sikhs democratic : resisted 80000 detained
State concerned about the collective power of Sikhs, sought to fragment it
Sikhs reinstated autonomy issue : strong federalism
State accused Sikhs of being separatists
Tragic attack in 1984 of Golden Temple
reaction: violent retaliation. No positive articulated demand for Sikh state,
State categorised Sikhs as demanding a state and threatening territorial
integrity
TENSION OF STEREOTYPES
SIKHS BLAME BRAHMIN COSNPIRACY AND
SECULARITY OF STATE. SIKHS: NON DUALITY
INDIA BLAMES EXTERNAL AGENCIES OF USING
SIKHS AND RELIGIOUS FUNDAMENTALISM
• No political attempt at accommodating the distinct
nations and regions as autonomous entities
• No understanding how to negotiate through stereotypes
• No comprehension how to draw from indigenous cultural
and political traditions
• question: why this dysfunctional approach?
• Does Indian civilisation have a problem?
• Or has a problem infested Indian civilisation?
CIVILISATION
WESTERN - SOUTH ASIAN
GREECE - INDIA
GREECE
SOCRATES, PLATO
ARISTOTLE, ARCHIMEDESE
ETC
ASSOCIATED WITH
PHILOSOPHY, SCIENCE,
MEDICINE, ARCHITECTURE
ETC
THE FOUNDATION OF
WESTERN CIVILISATION
AND IN FACT ALL USEFUL
CIVILISATION
commonly greece not associated
with
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MYSTICISM
ODD BELIEFS
SACRIFICES
MYTHOLOGICAL
BELIEFS
• TREATING WOMEN
INFERIORLY
• PERSECUTION OF
INTELLECTUALS
INDIAN CIVILISATION
associated with
GODS
KRISHNA
EPICS MAHABHARATA
RAMAYANA
MYSTICISM
BUDDHA
CASTE
Indian civilisation
not associated with
CHEMISTRY
ARCHITECTURE,
TOWN PLANNING
MATHEMATICS, ALGEBRA,
TRIGNOMETRY,
ASTRONOMY
MEDICINE,
THEORY OF LOGIC,
THEORY OF POLITICS
METALLURGY
FEW PEOPLE KNOW
PANINI: DEVISED SANSKRIT
GRAMMER
ARUABHATA: MATHEMATICIAN
SUSHRUTA: SURGEON,
SUSHRUTA SAMHITA 120
SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS
300 SURGICAL OPERATIONS
KANADA: WHO WENT INTO
THEORIES OF PARMANU
ANU MEANING ATOM PARMA
MEANING BEYOND
THE McCAULEY LEGACY
‘I have never found one among them
who could deny that a single shelf of a
good European library was worth the
whole native literature of India and
Arabia. The intrinsic superiority of the
Western literature is, indeed, fully
admitted by those members of the
Committee who support the Oriental
plan of education’.
ENGLISH
‘We must at present do our best to
form a class who may be interpreters
between us and the millions whom we
govern; a class of persons, Indian in
blood and colour, but English in taste,
in opinions, in morals, and in intellect.’
FEBRUARY 1835
SIKH
INDIAN
SUSTAINING STEREOTYPES
• THE EPISTEMOLOGY OF INDIAN
CIVILISATION IS IN RELIGIOUS AND
SPIRITUAL CONTEXT WHICH IS IRRELEVANT
TO TEMPORAL HUMAN PROGRESS
• THAT OF GREECE IS IN RATIONAL AND
UTILITARIAN TERMS WITH GREAT
SIGNIFICANCE TO HUMAN PROGRESS AND
AS CRADDLE OF CIVILISATION
I AM
SUPPOSED TO BE
RELIGIOUS
BELONGING TO THE SIKH RELIGION
BELIEVING IN GOD
HAVE SOME RITUALS
HAVE LITTLE FREEDOM OF INTELLECT
THERE ARE ASSUMPTIONS THAT I
MAY BE AGAINST ATHEISTS
COULD BE A FUNDAMENTALIST
AM ORTHODOX
AGAINST GAYS
TREAT WOMEN AS INFERIOR
AND PERHAPS
BE SENSITIVE TO RELIGIOUS OFFENCE
MY PRACTICES ARE NOT MODERN
AM INTERESTING AND ORIENT
.
WITHIN THESE STEREOTYPE
PARADIGMS IS CONTAINED THE
DISTORTION OF THE VERY
UNDERSTANDING OF SOUTH ASIAN
PHILOSOPHIES, SYSTEMS OF
KNOWLEDGE AND INDIVIDUALS
sikhi as I see it
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FROM THE GURU GRANTH SAHIB
MULTIPLE UNIVERSES
UNIVERSES COLLAPSE AND NEW
ONES FORM
LIFE ENDS AND NEW CYCLES
BEGIN
TIME IS SUBJECTIVE AND NOT
LINEAR
EVERYTHING AND ALL LIFE IS
INTERCONNECTED AND
INTERDEPENDENT
NO EVIL OR GOOD FORCE
NO SUCH ENTITY CALLED GOD
COMPREHEND THE TOTALITY OF
THAT WHICH IS MANIFEST AND
WHICH IS NOT AS ONE: NO OTHER
TEN DIMENSIONS
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MY PRACTICES
HAIR AS A COMMITMENT TO NATURE,
KARA A PERSISTENT REMINDER OF
THE CYCLICAL NATURE OF REALITY
TURBAN A STATEMENT FOR DIVERSITY
AND FREEDOM OF CONSCIENCE
KIRPAN SOVEREIGNTY OF INDIVIDUAL
CONSCIENCE
DIAMETRICALLY OPPOSITE OF
WESTERN STATE SYSTEM
A SIKH CEDES SOVEREIGNTY BY WILL
WESTERN SOVEREIGN STATE GRANTS
RIGHTS
europe and sikhs
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FRANCE LAICITE
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OUR ARGUMENTS
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QUESTION: TURBAN BANNING
WHAT IS THE RATIONALE AND
FOR WHAT PURPOSE?
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FREE THE INDIVIDUAL FROM
RELIGIOUS RESTRICTIONS
FREE WOMEN FROM
SUBJUGATION
PROTECT FRENCH CHILDREN
FROM BEING EXPOSED TO
RELIGION
ASSERT NEUTRALITY OF
STATE AS SECULAR
EQUALITY OF ALL BY MAKING
EVERONE SIMILAR
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95% TURBAN WEARING SIKHS
ARE NOT INITIATED (OR
BAPTISED) HOW DOES THAT
MAKE THEM RELIGIOUS
HAIR A COMMITMENT TO
NATURAL FORM WHY IS STATE
FORCING VIOLATION OF
NATURE?
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TURBAN, FREEDOM OF
CONSCIENCE, WHY IS STATE
FORCING ONLY ONE WAY OF
LOOKING AT THIS
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SIKHI STANDS FOR PLURALITY
WHY IS STATE FORCING
CONFORMITY
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THE IRRATIONAL
AGE OF REASON
• NO RATIONAL
ARGUMENTS
• BUT ONLY DEFENCE:
THIS IS THE FRENCH
WAY
• AGREED. SIKHS FROM
AMERICA CONFUSED
ISSUE
OUR QUESTION:
WHATS THE
DIFFERENCE
BETWEEN FRENCH
SECULARISM AND ANY
ABRAHAMIC
RELIGION?
EACH STEREOTYPES
THE OTHER AS
IRRATIONAL
SUPPOSEDLY I AM
• Occasional victim of racism and seek equality
• Am supporting a Sikh state by working in human rights
• Am part of a civilisation obsessed with afterlife and
needs modernising
• Am religious and wear religious symbols
NONE OF THE ABOVE
Being understood through prisms of stereotypes
but I don’t care
STEREOTYPING CONTINUOSLY CHALLANGED
STEREOTYPING STEREOTYPE
A new history of stereotyping
Published 1940
A book on printing
• Stereotyping printing
1940
THE END