On Thu, 24 May 2001, Doug Henwood wrote:
> Yoshie Furuhashi wrote:
>
> >Ricardo is implying that if you are born rich in the Third World,
> >you are of necessity forever trapped in the aristocratic ideology of
> >enjoying leisure & dependence upon servants, moreover endorsing the
> >social relations that give you many servants who wait upon you,
> >whatever your political commitment (to Marxism, feminism, world
> >systems theory, etc.).
>
> At a talk in NYC last year, Spivak said she did not come from a rich
> family, and thought that people who said so were trying to undermine
> her reputation. She hypothesized that it was ok when she was focusing
> on Third World women, but when she started talking about political
> economy, she was stepping on the toes of the Big Boys, who resented
> her for the transgression, and so started spreading rumors.
>
> Doug
Doug,
I had the chance out here in Hawaii to see Harvey and Spivak speak last
month. Harvey, as dry as his speaking style is, was clearly making links
between issues of globalization, culture, envronment and political
economy. Spivak's talk was very frustrating on the other hand. Aside from
a few comments about the 'disgusting' use of neo-liberal ideology being
employed as 'teaching materials' in developing countries, she really had
nothing to say w/ regard to the political economy of globalization.
Everything was on some cultural identity plane. I didn't find her
threatening to the big boys in any sense of the phrase.
Steve
