Portal de Periódicos da CAPES

Trabajar haciendo : activist research and interculturalism

2009; Taylor & Francis; Volume: 20; Issue: 1 Linguagem: Espanhol

10.1080/14675980802700680

1469-8439

Sylvia Escárcega Zamarrón,

Indigenous Cultures and History

Abstract In this paper, the author asks: What exactly does it mean to 'co/laborate' with indigenous struggles? What are the implications of accompanying indigenous struggles for activist research and anthropology? Can activist research be part of the 'intercultural construction of knowledges'? In a political context where rights and the survival of communities are at stake, what are the implications of the 'intercultural construction of knowledges'? The author uses the debates around the essentialization of indigeneity at the international level to argue that trabajar haciendo is a methodology that can be used in activist research as an intercultural exercise that calls upon us to rethink what we mean by the articulation of differences in political contexts. Las luchas indígenas, otros movimientos sociales, así como varios desafíos académicos en las últimas décadas nos han forzado a conceptuar una antropología 'post‐reflexiva' que nos permita reconsiderar lo que es la interpretación, representación, activismo, colaboración, las dinámicas de poder, y el interculturalismo en la investigación en general y la investigación educativa en particular. En la década de los noventa, varios académicos se dieron cuenta que no era suficiente poner a la investigación al servicio de la justicia social, sino que había que reconocer las varias posiciones de poder que afectan nuestra relación con los movimientos sociales con los que trabajamos. En este trabajo reflexiono sobre: ¿Qué significa el co/laborar con la lucha indígena? ¿Cuáles son las implicaciones activista del acompañar a las luchas indígenas para la investigación activista y la antropología? ¿Puede la investigación activista participar en la 'construcción intercultural de saberes'? Para responder estas preguntas utilizo los debates alrededor del 'esencialismo estratégico' en contextos políticos, en particular, en la definición de la indigeneidad en la arena internacional. Argumento que la investigación activista o el 'trabajar haciendo' es un ejercicio intercultural, pero también un elemento fundamental para el interculturalismo porque nos invita a repensar lo que significa la articulación de diferencias más allá de los esencialismos en contextos políticos. Nos forza a co/laborar en la validación y legitimización de las distinciones culturales y, al mismo tiempo, a reconocer que la cultura es un recurso y un instrumento político. Finalmente, nos obliga a reconocer las diferencias de poder con los que co/laboramos y a negociar fronteras, significados y acciones. Keywords: Indigenous Peoplesactivist researchinterculturalism Acknowledgements The development of the ideas presented in this paper owes much to the conversations that I have had with various scholars and indigenous intellectuals and activists in various settings throughout the years. In particular, I should like to thank Marcelino Díaz de Jesús, Stefano Varese, Guillermo Delgado‐P., Carmelo Buscema, Mario Ibarra, Charlie Hale, Gunther Dietz and Jennifer Bickham‐Méndez. The academic work and commitment of Jonathan Fox and Rodolfo Stavenhagen have been a great inspiration to me. I should also like to thank Charles Strain as well as Aida Hernández, Rachel Sieder and the participants in the Seminar on Indigenous Law at CIESAS for the opportunity to discuss some of these ideas. Of course, any mistakes or misinterpretations are mine. Notes 1. There are many scholars, indigenous and non‐indigenous, who have not only denounced the role of anthropology in imperialism and colonization, but have also begun to propose alternative forms of scholarship. I included here only a few that have influenced my thinking in the 1990s. 2. Yúdice (2003 Yúdice, George. 2003. The expediency of culture: Uses of culture in the global era, Durham: Duke University Press. [Crossref] , [Google Scholar]) explains that, in the era of globalization, culture has become a commodity. Similarly, it has seriously questioned the use by states, non‐governmental organizations and commercial interests of the label 'indigenous' under neoliberalism. This is because this use, rather than benefiting, undermines the rights of indigenous peoples. An interesting case is the lawsuit initiated in US courts against Aveda Corporation for its use of 'indigenous' to sell products and the failure to pay due compensation to indigenous organizations. Robby Romero (2007 Romero, Robby. 2007. "Statement to the 6th session of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues". http://docip.org/Online-Documentation [Google Scholar], 2008 Romero, Robby. 2008. "Statement to the 7th session of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues". http://docip.org/Online-Documentation [Google Scholar]) has claimed that Aveda circumvented Indigenous Peoples' right to free, prior and informed consent and to benefit sharing. He also brought to the attention of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, the increasing exploitation by corporations of indigenous culture, philosophy, creativity, resources, intellectual property, images, names, etc., and the need to generate guidelines for NGOs to engage with indigenous peoples so that the rights of this last group are protected. 3. There is no literal translation into English, but it can be loosely translated as 'Work by doing'. 4. In an email communication on September 11, 2003, Guillermo Delgado‐P. noted that Indigenous Peoples in Mexico draw on their own sense of history and 're‐invent their own traditions to be able to claim a sense of self, territory, community, and dignity'. I use this notion to apply it to what Indigenous Peoples are doing in international arenas. 5. Indigenous Peoples emphasize that human rights cannot be solely understood as individual rights, but also as collective rights. Self‐determination is the collective right of peoples.