Mohan Dutta: Culture-Centered Approach

The return of orientalist frames within the multicultural academe that emphasizes the need for mapping out other cultures in order to generate profits for TNCs is played out in the form of the mushrooming of "culture experts" across university campuses. These "culture experts" use the language of cultural sensitivity and multiculturalism to serve an industry of orientalist politics with neocolonial agendas. With the increasing emphasis on culture across the academic disciplines, there is a growing turf war about the legitimacy of who gets to participate in this enunciative politics and in the politics of representation. Who gets to be the one that is doing the "representing?" First, it is worth noting that much of this turf war is situated within the terrains of West-centrism as Western scholars find themselves amidst a situation where they now have to make justifications in order to maintain the privilege embedded in their enunciative position amidst this...

One of the key elements of the CCA is the concept of structure (Dutta, 2008). Structures refer to forms of social organization that create as well as constrain access to a wide range of resources. These resources not only include basic necessities such as food, clothing, shelter, healthcare, education etc., but also the communication infrastructures necessary to participate in the dominant public spheres. Based on empirical evidence documented in health communication scholarship for instance, the CCA notes the correspondence between the absence of communication infrastructures and the lack of health infrastructures. These correlations narrate an underlying economic dimension where being poor gets constituted in the realm of being unable to secure access to a plethora of resources necessary for life. Having noted this economic base of structures then, CCA raises questions about the role that communication scholars could play in challenging and transforming structures. In other words, no...

One of my earlier blogs talks about US intervention in Aghanistan and the earlier support for Taliban offered by the US. This blog continues that conversation thread further. One of my students is studying the portrayals of "freeing Afghan women" that circulated in the US media during the US intervention in Afghanistan, further exploring the ways in which women in/from the Middle East construct, participate in and resist these images. In recounting a story of one of her interviews, she shared with me how a feminist scholar from the Middle East discarded postcolonial theory, stating that "Afghanistan really is backward. They don't even have a railway system." This statement stayed with me the entire evening, and here I am posting this message after much thought. When I begin with the notion, what really is backward, I also have to ask myself who gets to define the discursive frame of advanced/backward. The dominant logic of Western empires have historically scrip...

As we wrap up our discussions of the culture-centered approach, I am drawn to the question of the role of dominant social institutions (academia, funding agencies, global agencies, NGOs) as tools for neoliberal trade. The other day, I found myself in the midst of this meeting where the people assembled were talking about how there is a lot of funding now for doing things related to poverty and inequality. What struck me was the dishonesty of the conversation. Poverty now has become a hot topic area that could draw a lot of funding. So the same people who were running after these other things when the wind was blowing in another direction are now running after poverty because this is fundable. What I find problematic here is not that academics/agencies etc. have now become interested in issues of poverty (in fact, this could be a great thing), but rather what is disconcerting to me is the mercenary logic underlying the renewed emphasis on poverty. And what lies this mercenary logic is ...

No I am not going to shut up And pretend That I agree with Whatever it is That you Shove down my throat. No I am not going to shut up And sing praise to your cross and white coat and Whatever it is That you Want me to memorize. No I am not going to shut up And sing Praises for Whatever it is That you Throw at me as aid.

Today is our last class of the semester. Last readings of the semester. What stands out? What would be the meta analysis of what I have learned here? What would be the key ideas that have come up on Culture and Health? Based on all of our reading from the semester, and the discussions, I feel these are the things that stand out to me: I know nothing. So much more to learn and know and apply. Articulating questions, concerns, and opinions can be tough when the materials are so interesting. Is everything hegemonic in nature? Is everything Eurocentric in its core? What are the legitimacy of efforts that are good at heart but are wrong on the approach? How can I really make a difference that is beyond discursive space and entry points? Let the journey begin. Purdue should make everyone take a class like this one.

they told me to participate & took my thumbprint while I clutched at the soggy food packet & scuttled to my field my baby wailing its a lot hotter now the fields are wilting like my aged mother Her partner.... My father speaks of glorious days of yore.. and I wonder shouldn't our dreams be glorious too? My baby's father.. strong and wise but he too gets scared with these men and women from town shiny white skins  fancy clothes, talks, ways why do they come here? our good doctor is scared too.. even the school master they come more now, regularly I store some food for them give them local things after all government has posted them for my baby I do not mind the hardships only they're increasing how much can I do? and then these visitors almost everyday.. interested in us our lives are so interesting they're good people they talk of dreams of glorious futures unlike my father.. It was better when I was a child my needs were few I knew little & did not have to ...