Re: Re(2): waiting to exhale/development questions

Ricardo Ottoni (rjapias who-is-at attglobal.net)
Sun, 21 Nov 1999 18:20:10 -0300

Diane Hodges wrote:=20
> many thanks for the elaboration=20

>NEGOTIATION=20

> here, i suppose, is another site of cultural assumption - the concept o=
f 'negotation'being another somewhat benign & neutral pretense of what=20
is involved in the interactions of what might be generative or=20
productve, but is often highly restrained/contained; where the work of=20
'negotiating' is also an activity of persuasion for control, 'this'=20
meaning having more cultural weight than 'that' meaning; or 'my'=20
understanding being more 'true' than your meanings - the assumptions=20
that negotiations are shared, even, are dubious, since so many
interactions depend upon power inequalities, and the negotiating is not
actual but supposed... or inferred, when - as with kids who learn how to=20
"answer" adults - there is little room for negotiating classroom=20
discourse, but kinds of generative processes are underway nonetheless,
learning how to 'act' in contexts of power inequalities...

Yes, it is necessary to clarify the assimetric dimension of power=20
relations involed in any negotiation.

Recently, some indians (Patax=F3s) who still alive and living here, in=20
Bahia, killed two policemen - along the process of negotiation of a land=20
dispute with some farmers - despite Brazilian Governement efforts to=20
minimize and put an end to that dispute.

Bras=EDlia sent the director of FUNAI (Indian's National Foundation) and=20
the negotiation still going on... There's no consensus until now.=20

This fact related above depicts, I believe, the complexity involved in=20
any negotiation. Indians are minority and less powerfull than farmers=20
or Right State deffensors (policemen)- at least in tools like guns...

This happens when 500 year of Brazil's "discovery" commemorations=20
occurs.=20

All americans (north,central and south) have such a "colonized complex".=20
The word "discovery" is not neutral. Its "inoccent" use is emmbeded in=20
the colonizers perspective ("discovery" to the portuguese and spanish -=20
but "invasion" to the indians).

Negotiation pressuposes damages and gains...

> words DEVELOPMENT/UNDERDEVELOPMENT use in academic discourse.=20
> - what are the understandings here of terms such as 'generative' or'pro=
ductive' instead of development or 'underdevelopment' (an oxymoron?=20
can such a thing exist?

What "oxymoron" means?

(...)isn't that like suggesting that 'no learning' takes place?)=20

Learning (informal or formal)puts in motion development processes. In my=20
understanding, it is the only way to development, to cultural=20
development - to help someone internalize and appropriate specific and=20
diverse KINDS of thinking and action.

> many thanks > diane, to point the assimetric power relations involved i=
n the use of the word NEGOTIATION and to call attention to the risk of=20
considerring benigns and neutral any concept backside words.