Contact zones, as defined by Mary Louise Pratt, are “social spaces where disparate cultures meet, clash, and grapple with each other, often as highly asymmetrical relations of domination and subordination.” In the past I have been in classes that were used as vehicles for the initiation of contact zones. These classes have struck me as very interesting because they touch on sensitive aspects of our history that can be applied to each student in the class. For example, in a class I took my sophomore year titled History 7B dealt with Colonialism in the Americas and mainly brought up topics regarding African-American slavery, Native American (U.S. and non-U.S.) encounters with Europeans, and Asian immigration in the Americas. Every race, ethnicity, and culture that ever existed in the Americas was brought up into investigation and was closely examined. This class was a prime example of several cultures clashing and meeting to create an intense contact zone.
No race or culture was spared in this class. If you were Black, White, Hispanic, Asian, or Native American you were going to explore the highs and lows of your ancestry in the Americas which stretched from the northern tip of Alaska in North America to the most southern tip of Chile in South America. From this class I realized that contact zones are an integral part of all of our histories not only here in the United States, but in all of the Americas. Through my education here at UCB I was allowed to come into contact and have deep discourse with several different types of cultures. Thus I strongly feel that education can be a good vehicle for the exploration of contact zones. Education can be the catalyst to which we greet other cultures with respect and reverence for one another; and at the end of the day revisit our safe-houses where we can return to our community members of with which we have an easier time identifying with.
However, after reading Pratt’s definition of contact zones I wonder why contact zones must be a point where “highly asymmetrical relations of domination and subordination come into contact- like colonialism, slavery, or their aftermaths as they are lived out across the globe today?” In other words, is it really necessary to have a dominant-subordinate relationship between cultures in order for there to be a contact zone? Why can’t there simply be a contact zone where there are two different cultures, but they both regard each other as equal? I find it extremely illogical that for there to be dialogue between two cultures and sharing of ideas one culture must be subordinate. I think there can be a mutual relationship where there is a constant sharing of ideas between two cultures without subordination.
What do YOU think?.......
I don't think that Pratt is saying that there MUST be subordination in order for a contact zone to exist. I think she's saying that contact zones are usually defined by domination and subordination, which I believe is mostly accurate.
ReplyDeleteYou brought up the example of History 7B, which I also took. In that course (or in any U.S. history course), we learned that from the foundation of the American colonies to the Civil War, the major contact zone between Whites and African-Americans was slavery. After Emancipation, the major contact zone was complicatate a bit, but it was still one of domination of Whites over Blacks. Especially in the South, but happening everywhere, the contact zone was defined by violence and fear.
The same can be said about every group that you mentioned. But I agree with you that educational spaces can be vehicles for learning to thrive in the growing multiculturalism of our society. Not just at the University level, but at the K-12 level as well, exposing students to a more multicultural education can contribute to making contact zones into productive rather than violent zones.
Why can’t there simply be a contact zone where there are two different cultures, but they both regard each other as equal?
ReplyDeleteIt is difficult for people to see equality where differences exist. This is almost as true in society as it is in elementary math. Take for example just two different people. Everyone, including they themselves, will try to parse out the differences and weigh one over the other. This is partially or totally due to our competitive nature. I believe such equality can exist, but it is probably more likely to happen when we are so mixed up that we no longer have to categorize each other by race or ethnicity or other labels.