Re: theory and praxis, academia and activism

Paul,

In answer to your question,

>You say that millions are not aware that they are resisting -
>could you expand on that for us please?

here is something from paragraph I.B.2.2 on how manipulation is
deflected:

<<These ... examples ...show that a society may possess strengths which
are invisible. This happens not because of a plan to dissimulate them,
but because ordinary people are neither aware of the manipulation nor of
their responses, while those who seek to manipulate society are blinded
by their own mindsets. ( ... ) The practices of societies cannot be
anything but pragmatic - but this does not apply to their prevailing
self-image, which can be seriously distorted and yet pass for objective.
The four individual behaviors described above - tolerance, alertness,
ambiguity and jurisgenesis - show that Greek society, for example,
possesses functionalities which thwart the Empire's bid to control
consciousness, and can therefore be considered valuable. One can sum up
these functionalities in an archetype which we can name the "human
balance" model. It can be viewed in opposition to the "economic
efficiency" model, which serves as an archetype for the aspiring
reformers of Greek society. What confuses both sides is the existence of
areas where society embraces the Empire's values and practices (because
they are also its own) and others where it strongly rejects them. >>

To put this quote into context, check chapter "I.B-Organic Weaknesses"
on www.athenian.net/invisible-strengths.htm

Regards,
Petros Haritatos, Athens

-----Original Message-----
From: Paul Broome <p.broome@rhbnc.ac.uk>
To: wsn@csf.colorado.edu <wsn@csf.colorado.edu>
Date: Παρασκευή, 8 Δεκεμβρίου 2000 12:37 μμ
Subject: Fwd: theory and praxis, academia and activism


>
>Petros,
>
>You make some good points. I think we can say, following yours and
>others comments, that theory and praxis could be seen as a mutually
>compatible process, although the latter will always have a more
>visible outcome. Inputs to action or praxis by theory can be made at
>many levels and where successful, can be seen as a 'richening' or
>'deepening' process that adds, qualitatively, to the knowledge of
>activists, and hence, the quality of the outcome of their actions.
>
>Whilst we can see how theory might benefit praxis, it seems that the
>inverse connection is more elusive and difficult to quantify. I don't
>know about the states, but in western Europe, I often wonder how much
>class has to play in a part of this.
>
>You say that millions are not aware that they are resisting - could
>you expand on that for us please?  I think it is easy to argue that
>millions contribute to the dominant order without releasing what they
>are doing - is that not the goal of capitalism? - to create hidden
>dependencies between the public and the multinationals and their
>political apologetics, thus ensuring power and legitimacy that is
>unquestioned and unchallenged by the majority of society. As you say
>- how to encourage people from apathy to activism and thus drive
>change for a better world?
>
>So how do we engage 'doers' with 'thinkers', and more importantly -
>following your comments below - achieve the inverse, especially given
>George Pennefather's comments RE: radical academics?
>
>BTW, a good read on the debate between theory and practice, and
>practical outcomes, can be found in Simon, D & Naaman, A, Eds. (2000)
>"Development as Theory and Practice". Harlow: Addison Wesley Longman
>& DARG, RGS-IBG.
>
>Cheers, Paul.
>
>
>>
>>These are both significant threads. Here are some inputs on where they
>>intersect.
>>
>>1. Of what use is theory to praxis?
>>
>>(a) Many people have an itch to do something. For them --people who
>>"think by doing"-- theory is useful as ideology, providing mental
>justification for an emotional urge. They cover a broad continuum,
>from the missionary nurse to the intifada youth.
>>(b) Theory is also appreciated when it shows activists how to be more
>>effective. They expend energy and are frustrated when it goes to
waste.
>>Theory can help to focus it where it can bring results. Corporations
use
>>MBA training to achieve this, but where are the equivalent
institutions
>>in the opposite camp?
>>(c) Theory can show to single-issue activists how their own concern is
>>linked with others. By providing context and perspective, it helps to
>>move apolitical activists towards political awareness.
>>
>>2. Of what use is praxis to theory?
>>
>>An invisible civil war opposes parts of society against other parts.
It
>>is invisible because the better organized camp pretends it is not
waging
>>war, while the other camp is still a nebula, comprising myriad
>>individual acts of opposition. It includes millions who are not even
>>aware that they are resisting, thousands of activists, and hundreds of
>>theorists, very few of whom do field work to to understand what is
>>really happening "out there". We need to discover how people can be
>>moved from apathy to activism to a better world. The best way is a
>>bottom-up empirical approach. Around us, hundreds of (involuntary)
>>experiments are being conducted -- the question is whether they are
>>producing new insights for theorists.
>>
>>If societies possess invisible strengths which are still
uncoordinated,
>>then "theory" is called upon to show how they can be focused into
>>political strength. I try to cover this topic in a recent paper, to be
>>published in "Globalization: Critical Perspectives", G. Kohler and
>>E.J.Chaves (eds.), New York: Nova Science (forthcoming, 2001). The
paper
>>is at www.athenian.net/invisible-strengths.htm
>>
>>Feedback will be appreciated.
>>
>>Petros Haritatos, Athens
>
>--
>
>----------------------------------
>"The Macintosh isn't a computer...
>it's a way of life."  Don Rittner.
>o~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~o
>Paul Broome
>Centre for Developing Areas Research
>Department of Geography
>Royal Holloway, University of London
>Egham, Surrey, TW20 OEX, UK
>
>Tel (Work):+44 (0)178 444 3574
>Fax:   :+44 (0)178 447 2386
>Voice Mail:+44 (0)207 681 2867
>http://www.appleonline.net/pbroome
>o~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~o
>