[Xmca-l] Re: USA & Chile social revolts

[Goncu, Artin]

Thank you, David.  Thank you, Mike.  artin


From: xmca-l-bounces@mailman.ucsd.edu [mailto:xmca-l-bounces@mailman.ucsd.edu] On Behalf Of mike cole
Sent: Sunday, May 31, 2020 2:23 PM
To: eXtended Mind, Culture, Activity <xmca-l@mailman.ucsd.edu>
Subject: [Xmca-l] Re: USA & Chile social revolts

Thank you, David.
We worried through your recent upheavals, but did not have the imaginative empathy to write
a similar note to you. Now a lot less imagination is needed  and the feeling of solidarity are much
appreciated.
Your new topic could not be more appropriate to the times we are living
in.
mike

On Sun, May 31, 2020 at 12:34 AM David Preiss <preiss.xmca@gmail.com<mailto:preiss.xmca@gmail.com>> wrote:
Dear colleagues and friends of XMCA living int he USA,

The images from the unrest in the USA are strikingly similar to those we experienced during our own "estallido social" since last October. Our social revolt was literally quarantined with the arrival of COVID19, and yours started during it. These are very complex days everywhere without any doubt.

The main issue we experienced here (previous to COVID19) was how to understand institutional and social violence and how to protect our democracy. Although the unrest in the USA was triggered by a new event of police brutality, the same underlying issues seem to foster the social protest.

There are many themes that I see there that are strikingly similar to our situation, including the widespread crisis of legitimacy of the police forces, which relate to issues of race, social and gender inequality. Democracy is not working for a large majority of the population, and is neglecting many vulnerable communities while the rich get unethically richer. That a private company sent a rocket to the international space station the same day that 25 cities in the USA were under curfew summarizes all. In Chile, however, the social unrest was channeled in a wider social movement for social reform and ended up in an agreement to change our constitution, which was about to be voted but COVID19 happened.

I have started to work on a project on human rights and the police (not a topic that was in my mainstream area of research but to whom I arrived as a part of a social concern) and will certainly be very attentive to your thoughts on the matter as events unfold. The images of police brutality that are in social media are very similar to those we experienced here as well as those of opportunistic civil violence by infiltrators, looting and so on. I really hope the social protest there achieves some substantive change and it is not just marginalized or reduced to mere chaos.

But first of all, besides entering an academic discussion, I just wanted to share with you all my full solidarity. These are very painful moments. We went through them. I understand how painful they are. I share your pain and grief.

David




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