Re: Ideal re: coercion

Robin Harwood (HARWOOD who-is-at UConnVM.UConn.Edu)
Thu, 25 Apr 96 13:36:08 EDT

Peter writes in response to Pam:
>coercive, with negative connotations. The notion of an enabling set of
>constraints instead allows for movement within guided participation in
>cultural practices, which to me is what enables us to think, talk, and act
>as a community.

I agree with this! As far as I can see, culture is inherently
constraining; right now, we seem preoccupied with finding the
line between positive constraints and negative coercion. I'm not
sure this is possible, inasmuch as the same set of constraints will
be perceived differently by different people.

Robin