1 Why Culture? By Sujata Warrier, Ph.D. Email: [email protected]@gmail.com © Sujata Warrier, 2013.

1

Why Culture?

By Sujata Warrier, Ph.D.

Email: [email protected]

© Sujata Warrier, 2013

Small group

What is your cultural identity?

How does your identity impact your work?

© Sujata Warrier, 2013 2


Why Should We Consider Culture?

Culture shapes an individual’s experience of domestic violence.

Culture shapes the offender’s response to intervention and acceptance of responsibility.

Culture shapes access to other services that might be crucial for the victim.

The culture of the system, the advocate and the survivor will impact outcome.


Explanations….

Exercise– think of a difficult case you had where the victim

refused to follow any course of action– Come up with the explanation you thought of first to

understand what was going on; – list three more– share with three of your colleagues and see how many

explanations you can come for each of your cases

Process

©Sujata Warrier, 2013

Definition Of Culture

A critical definition of culture refers to shared experiences or commonalities that have developed and continue to evolve in relation to changing social and political contexts, based on:

– race– ethnicity– national origin– sexuality– gender– religion– age– class

– disability status – immigration status– education– geographic location (space)– rural, urban, – time, or– other axes of identification– within the historical context

of oppression

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IntersectionalityPeople live multiple, layered lives derived from

social relations, history and the operation of the structures of power.

Understanding intersectionality exposes all types of discrimination that occur as a consequence of the combination.

Something unique is produced at the point of intersection – full complexity of experiences.

No slotting people, no single form of discrimination – exposes full range of vulnerabilities as it links all structures of oppressions.


Culture (s) …….

Are about contestation.Consist of permeable boundaries.Packaged pictures of different

cultures are idealized constructions. Often may reflect actual practices

or social life. Reflect the values and practices of

a privileged group.


Identities and Location

Locate oneself and examine subject position - vis a vis race, class, and other axes of identification.

The “I”is not an isolated event but is caught up in the complexities that comprise culture.

The ability to construct one’s identity is not a luxury available to all.

Linkages between who am I and what do I claim to know.

Also we need an account of the linkages.

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IntersectionalityPeople live multiple, layered lives derived from

social relations, history and the operation of the structures of power.

Understanding intersectionality exposes all types of discrimination that occur as a consequence of the combination.

Something unique is produced at the point of intersection – full complexity of experiences.

No slotting people, no single form of discrimination – exposes full range of vulnerabilities as it links all structures of oppressions.

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Gender Based Violence Gender Based Violence (GBV) occurs on

a continuum - beginning with female foeticide and ending with women murder and includes female infanticide, incest, sexual harassment, poverty, and domestic violence.

VAW can also be understood as occurring on a tightening spiral or a coil or as a corkscrew.

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Gender Based Violence

As much as patriarchal domination varies in shape, form and texture so too does GBV.

Since violence is used to control women in patriarchal societies, it is important to understand the nature of patriarchy and its relationship to other forms of oppression such as racism, colonialism, heterosexuality etc.


Similarities and Differences...

Work in pairs– find a colleague who you think is

similar to you– discuss what you have in common– discuss where you differ– along what axis of identification are

you similar and different

Work in pairs– same process with someone dissimilar


Roles and Preoccupations

There are three roles or preoccupations that we often deal with when talking about culture in various settings:– Emissary– Mirror– Authentic Insider

The ideas of the roles and occupations are derived from and discussed in detail by Uma Narayan in her book Dislocating Cultures.

The ideas of the roles and occupations are derived from and discussed in detail by Uma Narayan in her book Dislocating Cultures.


Roles and Preoccupations

These roles are often assigned so it is necessary to reflect on them.

It is important to remember that when we occupy any of these roles we enter a space where there are a lot of concerns around inclusion, diversity, multiculturalism.

These concerns can shape our entrance, influence what is expected and gives us a place that puts us in our place.


Role of Emissary

This approach focuses on the cultural riches and avoids all “cultural problems”.

Focus on “high culture”.Convey the riches to an

appreciative audience.Idealizing the culture.Crucial to undoing negative

stereotypes.


Role of Emissary

Fails to pay attention to the material, social and political contexts in which achievements take place.

Is not self-reflective.Issues of agency, articulation and

the role of feminism and women’s issues.


Role of the Mirror

This role facilitates the mainstream to take an interest in the Other without subjecting them to negative criticism confirming the predations and depredations of the West.

Attribute problems in communities to colonization, imperialism and globalization.


Role of the Mirror

Role is still focused on the mainstream and acts as a mirror.

Unnuanced and totalizing.Lack of agency in being able to

return the gaze.


The Authentic Insider

Permits and sanctions the articulation of political and social analysis.

Needs an actual person who can speak in a critical way.

Permits more sustained attention to issues and problems within the culture.


The Authentic Insider

Proprietary position between advocate and culture.

Singularity of voice.Sets limits on what the person can

speak on.Issue of representation and

authenticity.Position is conferred.


Working with the community

Listening Listening non-

judgmentally - how do we offer and receive criticism

Awareness of how we respond to attacks

Honesty

Learning about the community by attending community events before you actually approach the community

Respect and Humility

AuthenticityOpen attitude


Commitment to Working with Diversity It is morally the right thing to doIt is absolutely necessary to build

community collaboration so that particular communities can take responsibility for addressing violence against women.

It helps battered women’s advocates and programs provide quality care for victims of domestic violence.


Reminder

“Our struggle is for a fundamental change in social relationships rather than for a per community quota of representation sin the parliament of “race” and “ethnicities.” We are engaged in politics, linking theories with practices, examining ideologies through our lives, and our lives through revolutionary ideas. We are not shopping in the market of cultural differences”.

– Bannerji, Himani. 1993. “Returning the Gaze:An Introduction,” in Returning the Gaze. Toronto: Sister Vision, p.xxix

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In conclusion……

“It seems utopian, but the world must recover its capacity for dreaming and in order to start, a new paradigm is required…..”

Cecilia Lopez

1 Why Culture? By Sujata Warrier, Ph.D. Email: [email protected]@gmail.com © Sujata Warrier, 2013.

Documents

sujata warrier

culture shapes access

critical definition

intersectionality people

cases process slide

social relations

slotting people

types of discrimination