In my dissertation, I explore social strategies that Peruvian subalterns have developed to survive against racism and discrimination. I have identified and coined one of these strategies as etnovaivén (ethno-sway), which I define as a pendulum-like approach that allows subalterns to swing/sway from blanqueamiento to cholificación, and vice versa. In this context, blanqueamiento (whitening) mainly refers to the subaltern's willingness and efforts to assimilate the white culture in order achieve upward social mobility, whereas cholificación depicts the reluctance of Indian and mestizo subalterns to assimilate the cultural norms of the dominant group in certain circumstances, while asserting their own ethnic identity. Conversely, etnobúmeran (ethno-boomerang) is a self-inflicted boycott to one’s own ethnic groups. I claim that Peruvian subalterns shape their cultural singularity between ethno-sway and ethno-boomerang. My research has examined these social phenomena as reflected in the Inca Garcilaso de la Vega’s Comentarios reales (1609), Clorinda Matto de Turner’s Aves sin nido (1889), and Enrique López Albújar’s Matalaché (1928). In addition, in La ciudad y los perros (1963) by Mario Vargas Llosa, Montacerdos (1981) by Cronwell Jara, La violencia del tiempo (1991) by Miguel Gutiérrez, and Hienas en la niebla (2010) by Juan Morillo, I have analyzed the historical connection between miscegenation, discrimination, inequality and violence, which progressively led to the Internal Conflict (1980-2000), the goriest and longest war in Peru’s republican history that resulted in the assassination of approximately 70 000 persons, most of them Quechua-speaking, ordinary civilians. Highlanders fleeing from terrorism during those two decades account for the depopulation of over 2/3 of the Andean region. This study is both relevant and pertinent because it intersects with contemporary debates about national identity formation, and because it provides a means to understand the aftermath of political violence, a phenomenon that periodically threatens the lives of Peruvians. My work contests the traditional thesis of racial and cultural miscegenation as the foundation of Peruvian national identity (the "melting pot" metaphor), which has proven to be ineffective. Instead, I propose a more inclusive identity concept that celebrates cultural diversity and accepts the coexistence of multiple ethnic and cultural groups within the confines of the nation.

Abstract in English, Afrikaans and Zulu / The aim of the study was to develop a critical posthumanist and democratic theory that may be applied in the teaching and learning of Life Sciences in South Africa in order to achieve an expanded form of democracy that would not discriminate between human and nonhuman. Though both critical posthumanist and democratic theories have been used in pedagogical studies separately, this study focused on the development of a merged and broader theory that has elements of both of the theories. The term nonhuman, as used here, does not specifically refer to non-person individuals only. Rather, it also refers to people who are regarded by the dominant humans as nonhumans – inferiors and subalterns. The latter group of people include the poor, women, children, people of colour and the disabled. Owing to this binarisation characteristic of the Life Sciences as a subject – which it adopts from the nature of science, its curriculum, and pedagogical approaches – the impression is given that as the master of the universe, the human has unlimited power over all other entities. These other nonhuman entities are then regarded as resources for the use of humans. Yet, it is this attitude which has caused humans to abuse nonhumans to the extent that the earth is facing the catastrophe of the Anthropocene. The adoption of a critical education approach characterised by the development of a critical posthumanist and democratic theory that may be applied in the teaching and learning of Life Sciences is essential in dealing with the issue of the Anthropocene that is threatening the earth currently. This study thus seeks to adopt a critical education approach through the introduction of democracy into the teaching and learning of Life Sciences, specifically so that humans would get to a position where they would consider nonhumans as entities with which they co-exist, and entities with equal agency within the environment. The recognition of the need for democracy would allow the humans to treat the nonhumans (such as the environment and ‘subalterns’) with respect, as their compatriots; and by doing that, the harrowing issues leading to the catastrophe of the Anthropocene could be either avoided or averted. / Die doel van die studie was om ’n kritiese posthumanistiese en demokratiese teorie te ontwikkel wat op die onderrig en leer van Lewenswetenskappe in Suid-Afrika toegepas kan word om ’n uitgebreide vorm van demokrasie daar te stel wat nie tussen menslik en niemenslik sal diskrimineer nie. Hoewel kritiese posthumanistiese sowel as demokratiese teorieë apart in pedagogiese studies gebruik word, het hierdie studie op die ontwikkeling van ’n saamgesmelte en breër teorie wat elemente van beide teorieë bevat, gefokus. Die term niemenslik soos wat dit hier gebruik word, verwys nie spesifiek net na niepersoon-individue nie. Dit verwys eerder ook na mense wat deur die dominante mense as niemense – minderes en ondergeskiktes – beskou word. Die laasgenoemde groep mense sluit die armes, vroue, kinders, mense van kleur en gestremde mense in. Vanweë hierdie binêre eienskap van die Lewenswetenskappe as ’n vak – wat dit as gevolg van die aard van wetenskap, sy kurrikulum en pedagogiese benaderings aanvaar het – word die indruk geskep dat die mens as heerser van die heelal onbeperkte mag oor al die ander entiteite het. Hierdie ander niemenslike entiteite word dan as hulpbronne vir gebruik deur mense gesien. Dit is egter hierdie houding wat veroorsaak het dat mense niemense misbruik, in so ’n mate dat die aarde die katastrofe van die Antroposeen in die gesig staar. Die aanneem van ’n kritiese onderrigbenadering wat gekenmerk word deur die ontwikkeling van ’n kritiese posthumanistiese en demokratiese teorie wat by die onderrig en leer van Lewenswetenskappe gebruik kan word, is noodsaaklik om die kwessie van die Antroposeen wat die aarde tans bedreig, te hanteer. Hierdie studie wil dus ’n kritiese onderrigbenadering volg deur middel van die bekendstelling van demokrasie by die onderrig en leer van Lewenswetenskappe, in die besonder sodat mense in ’n posisie sal wees waar hulle niemense as entiteite saam met wie hulle ’n bestaan moet voer, en entiteite met gelyke verteenwoordiging in die omgewing, sal beskou. Om die behoefte aan demokrasie te erken, sal die mense toelaat om die niemense (soos die omgewing en “ondergeskiktes”) as hulle landgenote met respek te behandel; en deur dit te doen, kan die pynlike kwessies wat tot die katastrofe van die Antroposeen sal lei, moontlik vermy of afgeweer word. / Inhloso yalolu cwaningo kwakungukusungula umbono obucayi owenziwa ngemuva kokuphila komuntu nentando yeningi engasetshenziswa ekufundisweni nasekufundeni kwesayensi yezempilo eNingizimu Afrika ukuze kuzuzwe uhlobo olwandisiwe lwentando yeningi olungeke lubandlulule phakathi kwabantu kanye nokungebona abantu. Yize zombili izinkolelo ezibucayi ezenziwa ngemuva kokuphila komuntu nezentando yeningi zisetshenzisiwe ezifundweni zokufundisa ngokwehlukana, lolu cwaningo lugxile ekuthuthukiseni kombono ohlanganisiwe futhi obanzi onezici zombili zale mibono. Igama elithi okungebona abantu njengoba lisetshenziswa lapha, alibhekiseli ngqo kubantu abangebona abantu kuphela. Esikhundleni salokho, libhekise nakubantu ababhekwa ngabantu abaphezulu njengabantu abangebona abantu – abaphansi nabasezingeni eliphansi. Iqembu lokugcina labantu lifaka phakathi abampofu, abesifazane, izingane, abantu bebala nabakhubazekile. Ngenxa yalesi sici sokuhlukaniswa kwesayensi yezempilo njengesifundo – emukela emvelweni yesayensi, ikharikhulamu yayo, kanye nezindlela zokufundisa - kunikezwa umbono wokuthi njengomphathi wendawo yonke, umuntu unamandla angenamkhawulo kuzo zonke ezinye izinhlangano. Lezi ezinye izinto ezingezona abantu zithathwa njengezinsiza ukusetshenziswa abantu. Kodwa-ke, yilesi simo sengqondo esidale ukuthi abantu bahlukumeze abantu abangebona abantu kuze kufike lapho umhlaba ubhekene nenhlekelele yokwakhiwa nokuthuthukiswa komhlaba. Ukwamukelwa kwendlela ebucayi yezemfundo ebonakala ngokuthuthukiswa kombono obucayi owenziwa ngemuva kokuphila komuntu kanye nentando yeningi engasetshenziswa ekufundisweni nasekufundeni kwesayenzi yezempilo kubalulekile ekubhekaneni nodaba lokwakhiwa nokuthuthukiswa komhlaba olusongela umhlaba njengamanje. Lolu cwaningo-ke lufuna ukwamukela indlela yezemfundo ebucayi ngokwethulwa kwentando yeningi ekufundisweni nasekufundeni kwesayensi yezempilo, ikakhulukazi ukuze abantu bafike esikhundeni lapho bezobheka khona abantu abangebona abantu njengezinhlangano abaphila nazo, nezinhlangano ezinokumela ngokulinganayo ngaphakathi kwemvelo. Ukwamukelwa kwesidingo sentando yeningi kuzovumela abantu ukuthi baphathe abantu abangebona abantu (njengemvelo kanye nabasezingeni eliphansi) ngenhlonipho, njengabantu bakubo; futhi ngokwenza lokho, izingqinamba ezihlasimulisayo eziholela enhlekeleleni yokwakhiwa nokuthuthukiswa komhlaba zingagwenywa noma zivinjelwe. / Educational Foundations / Ph. D. (Philosophy of Education)

Postkoloniale Theorie bezeichnet ein breites Spektrum theoretischer Zugänge zu und kritischer Auseinandersetzungen mit historischen und gegenwärtigen Machtverhältnissen, die im Zusammenhang mit dem europäischen Kolonialismus und seinen bis heute währenden Fortschreibungen stehen. Als Gründungsdokument postkolonialer Theorie gilt Edward Saids Studie „Orientalism“ (1978). Postkoloniale feministische Theorie fokussiert auf die Situation von Frauen bzw. auf vergeschlechtlichte Identitäten in (neo-)kolonialen Settings. Neben der Konstruktion von Gender und Geschlechterrollen sind Sexualität und Begehren wichtige Topoi postkolonialer Theorie. Ein weiteres Themenfeld stellt die Dekonstruktion eurozentrischen / westlichen Wissens dar.

This thesis examines the relationships between different nations and cultures in Ivanhoe, The Talisman, Quentin Durward, Anne of Geierstein and Count Robert of Paris using Post-colonial theory. An analysis of Scott’s conception of society in general shows that 18th century Scottish historiography is fundamental to his vision of the world because it forms the basis of his systematization of history, social development and interaction between communities. It also profoundly influences his imagery and descriptions, as well as providing him with a range of stereotypes that he manipulates so skilfully that his great dependence upon them is occulted. Contemporary ideas and his own attitude to the Union of Scotland and England lead him to conceive of nation formation in terms of descent and hybridity. In part, he sees the nation as a community of blood. Yet, his acceptance of the Union means that he also considers it to be a body of different ethnic elements that live together. His use of the 18th century metaphor of family to figure the nation allows him to incorporate heredity and miscegenation into his analysis of national development through father-daughter couples. The father represents traditional culture, and the daughter, the nation’s present and future; her marriage to a foreigner signifying that people of differing descent can cross the nation’s porous borders. Religion is the final frontier: Christian nations cannot absorb non-Christians. Scott sees dominance and subordination as a complex part of human relationships. Apparently-subordinate subjects possess occulted power because their support of the hegemonic is often essential if the latter is to maintain its superiority. While his conception of society in patriarchal terms means that his female characters cannot offer violence to men, he shows that passive resistance is very effective. Through mimicry, the subordinate threatens the power and identity of the dominant. Power is not only conceived of in political terms. In Ivanhoe, Scott reveals the importance of moral stature which allows Rebecca to dominate the work although she is at the bottom of the political and racial hierarchy that structures English society. Scott’s conception of time is fundamental to the manner in which he conceives of the nation. Historical cultural forms are physicalised through chronotopes. Politically subordinate cultures base their actions in the present on pedagogic time, while the dominant ignore their past and live only in the present and the future. He also expresses dominant-subordinate relationships through speed, with time moving quickly for the powerful and slowly for the weak. Time, whether in the form of history, the characters’ perception of it or speed amalgamates all the various elements of Scott’s conception of nationhood into a seamless whole.<p><p>Cette thèse analyse par le biais la théorie post-coloniale les relations internationales dans Ivanhoe, Quentin Durward, Anne of Geierstein et Count Robert of Paris. Les théories historiques élaborées en Écosse au XVIIIème siècle sont fondamentales dans la vision scottienne parce qu’elles forment la base de la systematisation de l’histoire, du développement sociale et, par conséquent, des relations entre les différentes communités. Ces théories influencent profondement les images qu’il utilise et la façon dont il décrit les caractères et les scènes. De plus, elles lui fournissent une gamme de stéréotypes qu’il manipule très adroitement. Sa conception de la manière dont se forment les nations vient des idées contemporaines et de sa propre expérience de l’union politique de l’Angleterre et de l’Écosse. Il considère la nation comme une communauté fondée sur l’ascendance par le sang mais aussi comme un groupe d’ethnies différentes qui vivent ensemble. Sa description de la nation emprunte à la métaphore de la famille courante au XVIIIième. Celle-ci lui permet d’inclure dans son analyse l’héridité et la mixité au moyen des couples formés par un père et sa fille. Le père représente la culture traditionelle, et la fille, le présent et le futur national. Son marriage avec un étranger signifie que les gens d’ascendance différente peuvent traverser les frontières perméables d’une nation. La religion est la frontière ultime: les nations chrétiennes ne peuvent absorber de non-chrétiens. Scott considère que la domination et la sujetion forment une partie complexe des relations humaines. Les sujets qui paraissent subordonnés possèdent en fait un pouvoir occulte, le dominant ayant besoin de leur soutien pour maintenir sa position. Bien que sa conception patriarcale de la société fasse que les caractères feminins ne manifestent pas d’agression envers les hommes, il montre que la résistance passive est très efficace. En imitant le sujet dominant, le sujet subordonné menace le pouvoir et l’identité de ce dernier. Le pouvoir ne s’exprime pas seulement dans la politique. Rebecca dans Ivanhoe revèle l’importance que revêtent le caractère et la moralité. Bien qu’elle soit au bas de la hiérarchie structurante de la société anglaise, elle domine le roman. <p>La conception que Scott se fait du temps est fondamentale à celle de la nation et de la culture. Au moyen du chronotope, les cultures historiques prennent des formes physiques. Les cultures qui sont subordonnées politiquement basent leur action au présent sur le “temps pédagogique”. Au contraire, le dominant rejette son passé et ne vit qu’au présent et au futur. Les relations entre le pouvoir dominant et le subordonné s’expriment aussi par la vitesse: le temps passe vite pour les puissants, mais lentement pour les faibles. En définitive, tous les éléments de la conception scottienne de la nation sont liés au temps, qu’il s’agisse de l’histoire, de perception par les caractères, ou de la vitesse.<p> / Doctorat en philosophie et lettres, Orientation langue et littérature / info:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublished

Recent calls from progressive, subaltern and postcolonial geopoliticians to move geopolitical scholarship away from its Western ontological bases have argued that more ethnographic studies centred on peripheral and dispossessed geographies need to be undertaken in order to integrate peripheralised agents and agencies in dominant ontologies of geopolitics. This thesis follows these calls. Through empirical data collected during a period of five months of fieldwork undertaken between October 2014 and March 2015, it investigates the ways through which an Indigenous community of the Canadian Arctic, Tulita (located in the Northwest Territories' Sahtu region) represents geopower. It suggests a semiotic reading of these representations in order to take the agency of other-than/more-than-human beings into account. In doing so, it identifies the ontological bases through which geopolitics can be indigenised. Drawing from Dene animist ontologies, it indeed introduces the notion of a place-contingent speculative geopolitics. Two overarching argumentative lines are pursued. First, this thesis contends that geopower operates through metamorphic refashionings of the material forms of, and signs associated with, space and place. Second, it infers from this that through this transformational process, geopower is able to create the conditions for alienating but also transcending experiences and meanings of place to emerge. It argues that this movement between conflictual and progressive understandings is dialectical in nature. In addition to its conceptual suggestions, this thesis makes three empirical contributions. First, it confirms that settler geopolitical narratives of sovereignty assertion in the North cannot be disentangled from capitalist and industrial political-economic processes. Second, it shows that these processes, and the geopolitical visions that subtend them, are materialised in space via the extension of the urban fabric into Indigenous lands. Third, it demonstrates that by assembling space ontologically in particular ways, geopower establishes (and entrenches) a geopolitical distinction between living/sovereign (or governmentalised) spaces and nonliving/bare spaces (or spaces of nothingness).