The Technology of Ethnography. An empirical argument against the repatriation of historical accounts
Based on experiences from a longitudinal fieldwork engagement on Mota island in north Vanuatu, this article challenges the established opinion that old ethnographies shall be repatriated as a matter-of-course. Firstly, because they are far from factual but nevertheless are treated as such, since boo...
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| Izdano u: | URI:https://journals.openedition.org/jso, |
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| Glavni autor: | |
| Format: | Article ou chapitre numérique |
| Jezik: | Anglais |
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Journal de la société des océanistes
2012
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| Online pristup: | Accès Université d'Orléans et IFPM Accès Université d'Orléans et IFPM |
| Sažetak: | Based on experiences from a longitudinal fieldwork engagement on Mota island in north Vanuatu, this article challenges the established opinion that old ethnographies shall be repatriated as a matter-of-course. Firstly, because they are far from factual but nevertheless are treated as such, since books are a different technology of knowledge from the orally transmitted versions of the past and consequently have a different sociocultural impact; secondly, because they in most cases will be an asset mainly to the educated elite; and thirdly, because reintroducing histories disturbs the distribution of knowledge in knowledge-based societies and could cause further social instability. I do not claim that the situation on Mota has a general validity throughout Melanesia. However, I remain unconvinced by one of the premises for the categorical repatriation argument: that the disputes over control over, and validity of, knowledge that characterise most Melanesian societies, on this particular point for some reason should be suspended. |
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