SV: [INDOLOGY @ ] Is 'firangi/ferangi' a racist term?

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Rajiv Malhotra [sMTP:rajiv.malhotra] skrev 26. april 2001 13:36:

> COMMENT:

> Given that today's popular media in India/Pakistan uses firangi several

> times a day, should they be chided for racism? When one visits India, it

is

> common to be called a firangi even for wearing foreign brands, and people

> refer to Scotch as firangi whiskey, there are firangi jobs, in other

words a

> whole outlook of firangi.

 

Prof. Malhotra, you may call me a firangi any time. Foreigners have to be

called something, and the if they are unpopular, the term used will

inevitably acquire negative connotations. Up to a point, this is something

we have to live with, no matter where we are and who we are.

 

> We need the field of Westology precisely because the non-western has

become

> so subverted that to raise his voice he runs the risk of being demonized.

 

Is this really true? Edward Said raised his voice, and he wasn't demonized.

His critique was debated in a civilized manner with the usual pros and cons

that you find in an academic debate. I have also seen a number of other

Asians and Middle-Easterners critize the West without being demonized. Much

depends upon the underlying theory, whether facts are correct etc. If all

you want to do is to "reverse demonization", the critique will fall dead on

its face.

 

In

> this endeavor, there appears to be broad based support from left and

right

> within India, if early indicators mean anything. This also resonates with

> the Green movement, the Gandhians, the Subalternists, and with many

African,

> Latin American and Japanese thinkers. Reverse anthropology on the west

will

> not always be popular, as it will threaten the logos of the west coming

> across as mythos instead.

 

I think a reverse anthropology of the West would an interesting experiment.

Whether it will be accepted in the West, will of course depend upon how it

is done. The Soviets had their own brand of "Westology" for decades, and

noone outside the Eastern Block took it very seriously. Said was accepted

and respected because he played by the fundamental rules of academic

studies when he constructed his critique. So please go ahead. But don't

forget that a lot of critique has also been produced by Westerners. We tend

to deconstruct ourselves every generation of so. Your alternative view of

the West will not be the only one around.

 

Lars Martin Fosse

 

 

 

Dr. art. Lars Martin Fosse

Haugerudvn. 76, Leil. 114,

0674 Oslo

Norway

Phone: +47 22 32 12 19

Mobile phone: +47 90 91 91 45

Fax 1: +47 22 32 12 19

Fax 2: +47 85 02 12 50 (InFax)

Email: lmfosse