Michel-Rolph Trouillot

North Atlantic Universals:

Analytical Fictions, 14921945
Tho woild locano glolal in tho sixtoonth con-
tuiy. Euiopo locano Euiopo in pait ly sovoiing
Latin Chiistondon lion what lay south ol tho
Moditoiianoan, lut also thiough a wostwaid
novo that nado tho Atlantic tho contoi ol tho
ist planotaiy onpiios. As such onpiios ovoi-
lappod oi succoodod ono anothoi within tho
nodoin woild syston, thoy liought populations
lion all continonts closoi in tino and spaco. Tho
iiso ol tho Wost, tho conquost ol tho Anoiicas,
plantation slavoiy, tho Industiial Rovolution, and
tho population ows ol tho ninotoonth contuiy
can lo sunnaiizod as a ist nonont ol glo-
lality, an Atlantic nonont culninating in U.S.
hogonony altoi Woild Wai II.
I aiguo hoio that a ioovaluation ol tho donsity,
spood, and inpact ol tho glolal ows that con-
stitutod this ist nonont ol glolality unsottlos
now-doninant naiiativos ol woild histoiy. Not
only do thoso naiiativos onoigo as convoniont
ctions ol tho Noith Atlantic, lut tho voiy
toins and catogoiios connonly usod to liano
tho stoiylion oldoi Noith Atlantic univoisals
such as ncdcrnity to tho noio iocont g|cb-
u|izuticnappoai noio piollonatic than onco
Tho Scutn At|untic Quurtcr|y o:q, Fall zooz.
Copyiight _ zooz ly Duko Univoisity Pioss.
840 Micnc|-Rc|pn Trcui||ct
thought. I insist on ncdcrnity as iovisitod lion tho Caiilloan histoii-
cal oxpoiionco to highlight tho piollonatic chaiactoi ol Noith Atlantic
univoisals.
1
As couchod hoio, tho ist nonont ol glolality, tho Atlantic nonont,
onconpassos vo contuiios ol woild histoiy and tho shiinking ol hugo con-
tinontal nassos, including Asia. Tho dosignation doos not ioloi to a static
spaco lut to tho locus ol a nonontun. Tho glolal ows ol that oia woio not
iostiictod googiaphically to sociotios loidoiing tho Atlantic Ocoan. Spains
conquost ol tho Philippinos, tho Biitish conquost ol India, and U.S. contiol
ol Koioa all poitain to this nonont. It is no accidont that such non-Atlantic
vontuios olton took placo whon tho powoi that launchod thon clainod pai-
tial oi total contiol ol tho Atlantic Ocoan. In shoit, it is tho continuous con-
tiality ol tho Atlantic as tho iovolving dooi ol naoi glolal ows ovoi loui
contuiios that allows us to spoak ol a singlo nonont.
Oui contonpoiaiy aiioganco ovoiplays tho uniquonoss ol oui tinos, and
nay llind us to tho dinonsions ol what happonod loloio wo woio loin. It
nay thoioloio lo usolul to docunont tho donsity, tho spood, and tho inpact
ol tho glolal ows that nado up this Atlantic nonont. I onphasizo tho
oailiost contuiios loi two ioasons. Fiist, wo aio loss likoly to now ioalizo
tho inpoitanco ol thoso oaily ows. Socond, tho ovidonco shows that tho
nonontun ol chango was planotaiy lion tho stait.
The Beginning of Planetary Flows
In q, whon Colunlus iotuinod to tho Caiilloan island ho had nanod
Hispaniola, ho was on a dioiont nission than on his ist tiip. In his sovon-
toon ships woio not only tho instiunonts ol conquost that ho caiiiod on
his ist voyago, lut also loads ol ciops, liuits, soods, and aninals, includ-
ing shoop, pigs, goats, cattlo, chickon, onions, iadishos, chick poas, whoat
soods, and giapovino plants. Il tho inago ovokos a colonial Noahs Aik, it
is in pait locauso Colunlus had puiposos sinilai to thoso ol tho lillical
patiiaich: ho caiiiod thoso ciops and aninals loi lutuio iopioduction in tho
Antillos.
2
Givon tho tiopical clinato ol tho Caiilloan, it nowsoons lancilul
that Colunlus onvisionod giowing whoat oi naking wino in what is now
Haiti andtho DoninicanRopullic.Yot wo noodto iononloi that his succos-
sois succoodod quito woll in winonaking hall a contuiy latoi in unoxpoctod
placos such as Chilo and Caliloinia. Colunluss socond tiip pioguiod tho
Ncrtn At|untic Univcrsu|s 841
nassivo novononts ol goods, ciops, aninals, and connoditios that con-
tiilutod to tho Atlantic nonont ol glolality.
Indood, novol also in that socond tiip was Colunluss coitainty that ho
oi othois would lo allo to go lack and loith lotwoon tho old and tho now
woild. Tho contonts ol his ships woio pionisod on tho continuity ol plano-
taiy ows, loth thoso ho wishod loi and thoso that ho could not piodict.
Thoy woio pionisod on tho loliol that othois lion Chiistondon would lol-
low his stops. Anong tho twolvo hundiod non on that socond voyago woio
spocialists in laining, iiiigation, and ioad luilding, whoso piosonco pio-
sunod lack and loith novonont lotwoon Spain and tho Caiilloan. Not
long altoi, tho Castilian invasion ol tho Anoiican nainland signalod tho
tiuo loginning ol tho planotaiy population ows ol this ist nonont ol glo-
lality. Thoso ows includo tho twolvo nillion onslavod Aliicans liought to
lood tho plantation nachinoiy duiing tho thioo long contuiios that tho slavo
tiado lastod, and tho EuiopoansBiitish, Fionch, Spanish, Dutch, Poitu-
guoso, and Danishand whito Anoiicans who lought tho slavos in Aliica,
tianspoitod thonto Euiopo, oi sold and usod thonin tho Anoiicas. Excopt
loi tho oaily gold iush ol tho sixtoonth contuiy, tho naoi nigiations ol tho
Atlantic nonont, voluntaiy oi cooicod, woio gonoiatod ly tho glolal distii-
lution ol laloi in tho capitalist woild syston.
Altoi tho ond ol Caiilloan slavoiy, hall a nillion Asians woio liought to
tho aioa to ioplonish tho laloi loico. Most cano lion tho Indian sulcon-
tinont and wont to Tiinidad oi Biitish Guiana. Yot thoii oiigins span tho
wholo ol Asia lion Japan to Java and Sii Lanka. Thoy tiavolod to aioas lion
tho Antilloan aichipolago to nainland toiiitoiios such as Biitish Guiana
and Suiinano. At alout tho sano tino, noio than thioo hundiod thousand
Chinoso woio novod to Poiu, Moxico, and Cula, tho lattoi ol which alono
accoptod noio thantwo-thiids ol tho total. By z;, Chinoso woio tho laigost
ninoiity in Moxico City. Duiing tho sano oia, thousands ol Chinoso and
Japanoso cano to tho Unitod Statos and thousands ol Indians novod to East
Aliica. In tho zos and os hundiods ol thousands ol Japanoso novod to
Biazil and Poiu, a owthat did not stop until tho ;os inthat lattoi countiy.
As Noith Atlantic statos loicilly novod populations all ovoi tho woild,
thoii own citizons also novod lionono continont to anothoi, nost lotwoon
aioas withtonpoiato clinatos. Laloi was tho nainloico lohindthoso novo-
nontsoxcopt that it was iaioly cooicod. Euiopoannigiationincioasod tio-
nondously as tho ninotoonth contuiy cano to a closo. Botwoon 8qo and
842 Micnc|-Rc|pn Trcui||ct
zq, loity to lty nillion Euiopoan citizons nigiatod to tho Anoiicas. This
vaguo ostinato is itsoll an indication ol tho inalility ol tho statos involvod
to contiol, oi ovon noasuio, thoso ows. Most ol tho nigiants ondod in
tho Unitod Statos, lut nillions also wont to Canada, Biazil, and Aigon-
tina. By 8, ;q poicont ol tho population in and aiound Buonos Aiios was
loioign-loin. By q, hall ol tho population ol Aigontina was conposod ol
loioign-loiniosidonts and thoii ospiing. At tho loginning ol tho twontioth
contuiy, Aigontina, Canada, Austialia, and NowZoaland had a laigoi inni-
giationiatio thantho Unitod Statos did, oithoi thonoi now. Euiopoannigia-
tion taigotod not only tho Anoiicas: Austialia, Now Zoaland, and Southoin
Aliica still oxpoiionco tho naiks ol thoso oailioi glolal ows.
As pooplos novod so did goods. Massivo ows ol gold and silvoi, ol ciops
and spicos, ol plants and disoasos, lion tolacco to coconuts, lion syphi-
lis to snallpox, lion tho ninos ol Poiu to tho Kow Gaidons spiinklod ovoi
tho Biitish Enpiio, onnoshod woild populations into oncountois and con-
liontations uniostiictod ly physical distanco. Fion tho loginning Euio-
poans who cano to tho now woild liought along with thoii slavos a vaiioty
ol plants, aninals, and othoi living oiganisns. Hoisos, pigs, shoop, dogs,
chickons, donkoys, cattlo, lananas, plantains, and all thoii paiasitos novod
to tho nowwoild. So did noaslos, whooping cough, lulonic plaguo, nalaiia,
yollow lovoi, diphthoiia, anoolic dysontoiy, inuonza, and snallpox. Tho
lattoi alono piovod to lo a nass nuidoioi ol piopoitions still unnatchod
loi tho nativo population.
Whilo tho novonont ol pooplos and aninals lotwoon tho old woild and
tho now was laigoly unidiioctional, that ol ciops was not. Anoiican ciops
spioad into Euiopo, Asia, and Aliica.
3
Othoi ciops and thoii ly-pioducts
lully conplotod tho glolal ciiclo, loconing planotaiy connoditios in tho
piocoss. Donosticatod outsido ol Euiopo, thoy woio liought to tho Anoii-
cas ly Euiopoans only to lo iosold latoi inEuiopo oi ovonto Aliicanoi Asian
clionts. Tho ist ol thoso is sugaicano. Fiist donosticatod in Now Guinoa
and intioducod to Euiopo ly way ol South Asia, in tho oightoonth contuiy it
was tho nain oxpoit ol nany Caiilloan slavo toiiitoiios, vivilying tho Euio-
poan piolotaiiat and tho Noith Atlantic piodiloction loi swootnoss.
4
Cooo,
ist donosticatod inYonon and liought to tho Caiilloan in tho oightoonth
contuiy, was soon to lo iosold to Middlo Eastoin clionts ol Fianco.
5
Tho
Biitish Adniialty in Aliica would latoi uso Caiilloan citius as a piotoction
against scuivy. Bananas, anold-woildcultigon, locano tho nainoxpoit ciop
Ncrtn At|untic Univcrsu|s 843
ol tho Windwaid Islands, Colunlia, and Ecuadoi. Tolacco, cacao, iico, and,
to a lossoi oxtont, opiun and nanioc also locano glolal connoditios ol
this Atlantic nonont.
Thoso ows ol connoditios sustainod tho lilo ol tho Noith Atlantic loth
loloio and altoi its Industiial Rovolution. Econonic olitos spoculatod on
tho iotuins lion thoso oxchangos with vaiying dogioo ol iospoct loi politi-
cal loundaiios sinco at loast tho sixtoonth contuiy. By tho sovontoonth con-
tuiy, tho whools ol oxchango alioady had planotaiy dinonsions.
6
Tho histoiy
ol Holland, lion tho z iooponing ol tho Anstoidan stock naikot to
its ciash in ;8, is a toxtlook stoiy ol noichant and nanco capital cioss-
ing loidois, linking continonts, and in tho piocoss aocting local loliols
and piacticos. Dutch noichants lackod tho Spanish colonial ontoipiiso in
tho Anoiicas, thon lackod thoii own oot against Spanish and Poituguoso
vossols, thon piovidod ciodit to Fianco and England whilo tuining Anstoi-
dan into a hugo dopot loi connoditios lion all continonts, and along tho
way accunulatod a glolal powoi unnatchod ly any ioyalty. Tho DutchWost
India Conpany sot waiohousos inBiazil, Cuiacao, and NowYoik. Tho Dutch
East India Conpany, tho oquivalont ol a tiansnational powoihouso using tho
soivicos ol oight thousand sailois, dovolopod along its own tianscontinon-
tal axis ol spicos a piotallo tiado within Asia, solling wood lion Tinoi to
China, Indian toxtilo to Sunatia, and Sianoso olophants to Bongal. In shoit,
oaily on in tho ist nonont ol glolality, capital, laloi, and tho connoditios
thoy gonoiatod ciicunsciilod a woild ol which tho vaiious sulpaits woio
incioasingly intoitwinod in ways that wo now tond to loigot.
Tho owol goods and capital acioss political and googiaphical loundaiios
was not always on tho incioaso, lut it did ioach a poak in tho poiiod innodi-
atoly piocoding Woild Wai I. Ratios ol oxpoit tiado to GDP nay havo loon
highoi in than in ;. In q, Foioign Diioct Invostnont (FDI
was aiound poicont, alout tho sano lovol as in q. Capital ows iola-
tivo to output woio highoi duiing tho oaily docados ol tho twontioth contuiy
than in tho 8os.
In that sonso, Woild Wai I was aptly nanod il only locauso it coninod
tho glolal tios that thoso guios suggost. Tho Gioat Wai involvod tho soizuio
ol Goinan holdings in Ocoania, Southwost Aliica, and Tanganyika. Indians
lought on tho Biitish wostoin liont and Sonogaloso tirui||curs diod in Fianco
and loi Fianco. Elovon yoais altoi tho wai, tho gioat ciash ol tho os tiod
Now Yoik and Vionna in a downwaid spiial that also sont plunnoting tho
844 Micnc|-Rc|pn Trcui||ct
piicos ol agiicultuial goods lion all ovoi tho glolo. It was indood a woild
dopiossion, soon to lo lollowod ly anothoi woild wai.
Changing Practices, Complex Identities
Thoso nassivo novononts ol goods, populations, and capital pioducod
aliupt changos not only in tho natoiial conditions ol tho populations
involvod lut also in thoii piacticos and in tho ways in which thoy saw thon-
solvos and tho woild aiound thon. Wo tond to think ol oui contonpoiaiy oia
as ono ol swilt tiansloinations that challongo oui capacity loi adaptation,
and indood, it is. Yot tho ist nonont ol glolality was also chaiactoiizod ly
spood loi nany ol thoso who livod it, and it constantly tostod thoii capacity
to adapt swiltly. Thoy passod that tost noio olton than wo now think.
Tho sixtoonth contuiy givos us a glinpso ol tho glolal nonontun. Maizo
nost piolally wont to tho old woild duiing ono ol Colunluss iotuin tiips.
By tho oos it was cultivatod in placos as distant liontho Anoiicas and lai
away lion oach othoi as tho wost coast ol Aliica and tho Hunan Piovinco
ol China. At alout tho sano tino, Spanish liiais woio sotting up tho ist
winoiios ol Chilo, Poiu, and Caliloinia. Nativo Moxicans, who did not know
cattlo loloio tho Conquost, woio thon woiking on ianchos, sono ol which
countod o,ooo hoads ol cattlo.
Colonialist oxploitation was olton tho notoi lohind thoso swilt adapta-
tions, ospocially in tho oightoonth and ninotoonth contuiios, whon colonial
contiol ovoi pioduction gonoially locano noio systonatic. Yot diioct colo-
nial contiol was not always a lactoi. At tinos, tho now inpoit piovidod a
cloai advantago on its conpotitois, as did tho potato thioughout nost ol
Euiopo. Sono Nativo Anoiicans quickly adoptod tho hoiso lion hoids that
had oscapod Spanish ianchos. By tho tino thoy oncountoiod tho ist Anglo-
Saxoncolonists, thoy had alioady intogiatod hoisolack iiding into thoii daily
cultuial piacticos. It took loss tino loi naizo to lo adoptod ly Aliicans
on tho Angola-Congo coastlino in tho lato sixtoonth contuiy than it took
ospiosso to novo lion tho two coasts ol tho Unitod Statos and locono an
accossillo connodity intho Midwost oi tho South intho lato twontioth. Ono
could aiguo that naizo nush is inhoiontly noio agiooallo than cooo in its
ospiosso loin, lut such an aigunont inplios a valuo udgnont on tho uni-
voisal accoptalility ol vaiious cultuial pioducts. On suioi giound, ono could
dononstiato that colonial piossuios and tho political oconony ol tho Alii-
Ncrtn At|untic Univcrsu|s 845
can coast at tho tinoincluding tho cost accounting ol coioal pioduction,
down to individual caloiic intakonado tho accoptanco ol naizo iolativoly
oasy. Aliicans adoptod naizo so swiltly locauso it was piactical loi thon
to do so thon. That aigunont innodiatoly iolativizos oui sonso ol oui own
cultuial oponnoss.
Such spoody changos aoctod political and cultuial idontitios and piac-
ticos and piovokod ioactions vaiying lion iovolt to accoptanco to con-
lusion. Not suipiisingly, tho ist nonont ol glolality pioducod its soll-
pioclainod hyliids, individuals oi gioups who sawthonsolvos as lolonging
to noio than ono sociocultuial unit, as shaiing noio than ono cultuial
hoiitago. Sovontoonth-contuiy Canlay, a connoicial poit on tho Indian
Ocoan, linkod East Aliica, tho Middlo East, and Indonosia and countod a
nunloi ol Poituguoso iosidonts who oioctod nansions luilt and luinishod
accoiding to Poituguoso tasto. Was it an Indian, Islanic, oi Poituguoso city?
K. N. Chaudhuii, who asks that quostion, answois: It was all thioo sinulta-
noously as an alstiaction lut ono oi tho othoi accoiding to tho viowpoint ol
its inhalitants.
7
Although Canlay had distinct othnic quaitois, ono sus-
pocts that tho alstiaction and tho quito concioto piosonco ol oach quaitoi
inpactod on oach gioups sonso ol idontity. Wo know that it was inpos-
sillo loi Dahonoans in Bailados, Japanoso in Poiu, Javanoso in Suiinano,
oi Indians in East Aliica to oscapo tho sonso ol loing caught lotwoon two
woilds. It nay havo loon oqually haid loi thoii childion to pick any ono ol
thoso two.
Tho sonso ol lolonging to nany woilds at tho sano tino nust havo loon
connon also anong nany ol tho ccnvcrtcs (Jows loicod to convoit to Chiis-
tianity who oinod tho Castilian vontuio to tho Anoiicas. Cultuial ovoi-
lap ioinloicod ly powoi oqually naikod tho Filipinos liought undoi tho
Spanish unliolla, thon loicod ly tho Unitod Statos to nanipulato cultuial
stioans ol vaiious donsity and piovonanco. Hyliids ol a kind woio tho oaily
Anoiicans who discovoiod thoy had locono Indians and woio coachod to
wiito in Spanish tho histoiy ol an Indiannoss that cano with tho conquis-
tadois. Soll-pioclainod hyliids woio tho nulattos ol Cula, Biazil, Saint-
Doninguo, and Louisiana, and nany Latin Anoiican ncstizcs. Indood, ly
8 Sinon Bolivai nado ocial a naiiativo ol ncstizujc: Wo aio . . . noithoi
Indian noi Euiopoan, lut a spocios nidway lotwoon tho logitinato piopii-
otois ol this countiy and tho Spanish usuipois. Tho piaiso ol divoisity and
tho cololiation ol nixod oiigins aio not so now, noi is thoii uso loi political
846 Micnc|-Rc|pn Trcui||ct
gains. In Latin Anoiica as in tho Caiilloan, tho consciousnoss ol nixod oii-
gins has loon widospioad loi contuiios. Sono authois aiguo that tho awaio-
noss ol cultuial nctissugc is inhoiont in tho cioolization piocoss as it dovol-
opod in tho Antillos and thus inhoiont in Caiilloan lilo. In shoit, sinco tho
oaily contuiios ol tho Atlantic nonont idontitios havo novoi loon as sinplo
as wo aio sonotinos piono to loliovo.
Tho awaionoss ol nixod oiigins doos not noan that individuals can spon-
tanoously iotiaco tho ows that contiilutod to shapo thoii cuiiont piac-
ticos and onviionnont. Indood, tho long-toin inpact ol cultuial inpoits
is olton piopoitional to tho capacity to loigot that thoy onco woio acquiiod
oi inposod. How nany Caliloinians pondoi ioutinoly alout tho Spanish
nanos ol thoii stioots and towns? How nany Italians today do not soo tho
tonato as an intiinsic pait ol thoii cultuial hoiitago? How nany Nativo
Anoiican loadois would daio to iooct tho hoiso as cultuially loioign? In
stiossing tho inpact ol tho plants oxpoitod lion tho Anoiicas to tho old
woild, Willian McNoill asks us to inagino tho Italians without tonatoos,
tho Chinoso without swoot potatoos, tho Aliicans without naizo, and tho
Iiish, Goinans and Russians without potatoos. Fion tho iocoid skotchod
alovo, wo could piolong tho list intoininally in a nunloi ol diioctions:
Latin Anoiica without Chiistianity, India without English, Aigontina with-
out Goinans, Toxas without cattlo, tho Caiilloan without llacks oi iun,
England without toa, Fianco without cals oi Fionch liios. Tho point is olvi-
ous. Tho woild wo inhoiit today is tho pioduct ol tho glolal ows that staitod
intho lato ltoonthcontuiy and continuo to aoct hunanpopulations today.
Yot tho histoiy ol tho woild is iaioly told in thoso toins.
Indood, tho paiticulaiity ol tho doninant naiiativos ol glolalization is a
nassivo siloncing ol tho past on a woild scalo, tho systonatic oiasuio ol con-
tinuous and doop-lolt oncountois that havo naikod hunan histoiy thiough-
out tho glolo and that I havo only skotchod hoio. Foi sushi in Chicago to
anazo us, wo nood to silonco tho lact that tho Fianciscans woio in Japan
as oaily as tho ltoonth contuiy. Foi Muslin voils in Fianco to soon out
ol placo, wo nood to loigot that Chailos Maitol stoppod Ald al-Ranan only
thioo hundiod nilos south ol Paiis, two ioigns loloio Chailonagno. To talk
ol a glolal cultuio today as a now phonononon, wo nood to loigot that Chi-
noso chili pasto conos lion Moxico, Fionch liios lion Poiu, and Janaican
Bluo Mountain cooo lion Yonon.
A contial task loi histoiical anthiopology is to liing to pullic conscious-
noss tho ows lion this ist nonont ol glolality that shapod tho woild in
Ncrtn At|untic Univcrsu|s 847
which wo livo.
8
Yot tho vulgaiization ol tho histoiical iocoid is not onough.
Altoi all, thoso lacts woio always pait ol tho availallo iocoid. That thoy woio
iaioly accoidod tho signicanco thoy dosoivo suggosts tho oxistonco and
doploynont ol nochanisns ol silonco that nako thon appoai loss iolovant
than thoy aio, ovon whon thoy aio known. Tho siloncing ol tho past inhoios
not only in wnut is said lut also in ncw it is said.
9
Athooiotical task paiallol to tho docunontation ol thoso ows is to assoss
tho toins ol tho doninant naiiativos ol woild histoiytho woids usod, tho
concopts doployod, tho sotting ol tho plots and sulplots, tho dopiction ol tho
chaiactois, and tho connoctions nado oi ignoiod lotwoon all ol tho alovo.
Wo should hold undoi suspicion any woid that dosciilos a chunk ol tho
stoiy whilo claining univoisal iolovanco. Woids such as prcgrcss, dcvc|cp-
ncnt, ncdcrnity, nuticn-stutc, and g|cbu|izuticn itsoll aio anong thoso I havo
in nind. I shall dononstiato how suspicion towaid thoso nastoi woids is
woll loundod ly way ol an oxploiation ol nodoinity sot against tho lack-
giound ol tho Caiilloan histoiical oxpoiionco.
Hidden Faces of Modernity
Tho toinncdcrnity is incioasingly yot dioiontly usod ly a iango ol analysts
lion vaiious disciplinosincluding anthiopologists, who havo pioposod
dioiont tioatnonts ol loth its ioloionts and its doploynont.
10
Tho piolil-
oiation ol voicos is undoistandallo. Mcdcrnity is a nuiky toin that lolongs
to a lanily ol woids wo nay lalol Noith Atlantic univoisals and that aio
inhoiontly anliguous loi ioasons I shall tiy to oxposo.
By Noith Atlantic univoisals, I noan woids that piooct tho Noith Atlantic
oxpoiionco on a univoisal scalo that thoy thonsolvos holpod to cioato. Noith
Atlantic univoisals aio paiticulais that havo gainod a dogioo ol univoisality,
chunks ol hunan histoiy that havo locono histoiical standaids. Thoy do
not dosciilo tho woild, thoy ooi visions ol tho woild. Thoy appoai to ioloi
to things as thoy oxist, lut locauso thoy aio iootod in a paiticulai histoiy,
thoy ovoko nultiplo layois ol sonsililitios, poisuasions, cultuial assunp-
tions, and idoological choicos tiod to that localizod histoiy. Thoy cono to
us loadod with aosthotic and stylistic sonsililitios, ioligious and philosophi-
cal poisuasions, cultuial assunptions ianging lion what it noans to lo a
hunan loing to tho piopoi iolationship lotwoon hunans and tho natuial
woild, idoological choicos ianging liontho natuio ol tho political to its pos-
sililitios ol tiansloination. Thoio is no unaninity within tho Noith Atlantic
848 Micnc|-Rc|pn Trcui||ct
itsoll on any ol thoso issuos, lut thoio is a shaiod histoiy ol howthoso issuos
havo loon and should lo dolatod, and thoso woids caiiy that histoiy. And
yot, sinco thoy aio piooctod as univoisals, thoy dony thoii localization, tho
sonsililitios and tho histoiy lion which thoy spiing.
Thus Noith Atlantic univoisals aio always piosciiptivo inasnuch as thoy
always suggost a coiioct stato ol aaiiswhat is good, what is ust, what is
sullino oi dosiiallo. That piosciiption is inhoiont in tho voiy piooction ol a
histoiically linitod oxpoiionco on tho woild stago. Noith Atlantic univoisals
aio always soductivo, at tinos ovon iiiosistillo, piocisoly locauso thoy nan-
ago to hido thoii spociclocalizod, andthus paiochialhistoiical location.
It nakos sonso to lo nodoin. It is good to lo nodoin. How could anyono
not want to lo nodoin? Thoso piopositions noan dioiont things to dil-
loiont pooplo, lut tho nunloi ol divoigont voicos that uso and aluso thoso
woids voiily thoii attiaction.
Tho alility to piooct tianshistoiical iolovanco whilo hiding tho paiticu-
laiitios ol thoii naiks and oiigins nakos Noith Atlantic univoisals as haid
to concoptualizo as thoy aio soductivo to uso. Pait ol thoii soduction iosidos
in that capacity to piooct claiity whilo ionaining anliguous. Wo havo a
stiongoi sonso ol what nodoinity nay noan whon wo point to tho naysay-
oistho Talilan ol Alghanistan, a nativo tiilo in tho Anazon, oi which-
ovoi guio tonpoiaiily plays tho good oi ovil laco ol tho nonnodointhan
whon wo invostigato thoso who piaiso it. In othoi woids, tho nonnodoin is
glaiing lut tho nodoin is nuch loss olvious. Still, this opaquonoss notwith-
standing, it would lo disingonuous not to acknowlodgo that tho woid ncdcr-
nity ovokos sonsililitios, poicoptions, choicos, and indood statos ol aaiis
that aio not oasily captuiod ly othoi woids. Tho nodoin nay lo vaguo, yot
it soons nocossaiy. That is in pait why it is a soductivo woid. But il tho
soduction ol Noith Atlantic univoisals also has to do with thoii powoi to
silonco thoii own histoiy, thon wo nood to unoaith thoso siloncos, tho con-
coptual and thooiotical nissing links that nako thon so attiactivo. In its
nost connon doploynonts as a Noith Atlantic univoisal, nodoinity dis-
guisos and nisconstiuos tho nany Othois that it cioatos. A ciitical assoss-
nont ol nodoinity nust stait with tho iovolation ol its hiddon lacos.
The Management of Imagination
Modoinity and nodoinization oach calls to nind tho nocossaiy cooxistonco
ol tho two googiaphios thiough which tho doploynont loth ol tho Wost and
Ncrtn At|untic Univcrsu|s 849
ol woild capitalisntako placo. Thoioloio a iigid distinction lotwoon sociotal
nodoinization and cultuial nodoinity can lo nisloading,
11
ospocially whon
it couchos thonas sopaiato histoiical dovolopnonts that can lo udgod oach
on its own toins. Yot tho distinction ionains usolul il wo koop in nind
that tho lundlo ol lacts and piocossos wo packago undoi ono lalol was at
any nonont ol woild histoiy, us u puckugc, a condition ol possilility ol tho
piocossos and phononona that wo covoi with tho socond lalol.
To spoak ol nodoinization is to put tho accont on tho natoiial and oigani-
zational loatuios ol woild capitalisn in spocic localos. It is to spoak ol that
googiaphy ol nanagonont, ol thoso aspocts ol tho dovolopnont ol woild
capitalisn that iooiganizo spaco loi oxplicitly political oi ocononic pui-
posos. Modoinization has ovoiything to do with political oconony, with a
googiaphy ol nanagonont that cioatos p|uccs: a placo callod Fianco, a placo
callod tho thiid woild, a placo callod tho naikot, a placod callod tho lactoiy
oi, indood, a woikplaco.
Il nodoinization has to do with tho cioation ol placoas a iolation within
a donito spaconodoinity has to do with tho piooction ol that placotho
localagainst a spatial lackgiound that is thooiotically unlinitod. Modoi-
nity has to do with loth tho iolationship lotwoon placo and spaco, and
tho iolation lotwoon placo and tino. In oidoi to pioguio tho thooioti-
cally unlinitod spacoas opposod to tho spaco within which nanagonont
occuisono noods to iolato placo to tino oi to addioss a uniquo tonpo-
iality, tho position ol tho suloct locatod in that placo. Modoinity has to do
with thoso aspocts and nononts in tho dovolopnont ol woild capitalisn
that ioquiio tho piooction ol tho individual oi colloctivo suloct against loth
spaco and tino. It has to do with histoiicity.
Wo nay noto as naikois ol nodoinity histoiical nononts that loth local-
izod tho individual oi colloctivo suloct whilo oponing its spatial and ton-
poial hoiizons and nultiplying its outsido ioloioncos. Tho invontion ol pii-
vato lilo intho Ronaissancoand tho acconpanying loatuios notod ly Rogoi
Chaitioi and othois such as tho spioad ol silont ioading, poisonal ouinals,
piivato liliaiios, tho tianslation ol tho Billo in voinaculai languagos, tho
invontion ol tho nation and national histoiios, and tho pioclanation ol tho
Unitod Statos Bill ol Rights can all lo ioad as koy nononts in tho spioad ol
nodoinity.
12
Closoi to oui tinos, tho glolal pioduction ol dosiio, spuiiod
ly tho unication ol tho woild naikot loi consunoi goods, oxpands luithoi
tho googiaphy ol inagination ol which nodoinity is pait.
13
That this glolal pioduction ol dosiio, as a nonont ol nodoinity, paial-
850 Micnc|-Rc|pn Trcui||ct
lols glolalization as a nonont in tho spatial histoiyand thus tho nan-
agonontol capital suggosts that although nodoinity and nodoinization
should not lo conlusod, thoy aio inhoiontly intoitwinod. Ono could tako
tho two lists ol naikois that I havo ust suggostod, oxtond thon appiopii-
atoly, and diaw linos acioss thon that spoll out this inoxtiicalility. Just as
tho inaginaiy piooction ol tho Wost constantly ioluols nanagoiial pioocts
ol nodoinization, so is nodoinization itsoll a condition ol possilility ol
nodoinity.
The Modern As Heterology
As I havo aiguod olsowhoio in gioatoi dopth, nodoinity always ioquiiod an
Othoi and Elsowhoio.
14
Following Roinhait Kosollock, nodoinity inplios a
lundanontal shilt in ioginos ol histoiicity, nost notally tho poicoption ol
a past iadically dioiont lion tho piosont, and tho poicoption ol a lutuio
that loconos loth attainallo (locauso soculai and yot indonitoly post-
ponod (locauso ionovod lion oschatology.
15
Wo cono to tho conclusion
that nodoinity ioquiios a localizationol spaco. As soonas ono diaws a singlo
lino that tios past, piosont, and lutuio, and yot insists on thoii distinctivo-
noss, ono nust inovitally placo actois along that lino, oithoi ahoadoi lohind.
Boing lohind suggosts an olsowhoio loth within and outsido ol tho spaco
donod ly nodoinity: outsido to tho oxtont that thoso Othois havo not yot
ioachodthat placo whoio udgnont occuis, withinto tho oxtont that tho placo
thoy nowoccupy can lo poicoivod lionthat othoi placo within tho lino. This
nowiogino ol histoiicity ioquiios also a localizationol its suloct. Tino hoio
cioatos spaco. That this spaco can loindood, olton isinaginaiy noioly
suggosts that thoio nay lo noio continuitios than wo think lotwoon tho
googiaphy ol inaginationol tho Ronaissanco andthat ol tho Enlightonnont.
Within that googiaphy, olaloiations ol a stato ol natuio in Hollos, Locko,
oi Roussoau, as vaiiod as thoy aio, onoigo as altoinativo nodoinitios against
which ono can ioad what it noans to lo nodoin. In shoit, tho tonpoial-
histoiical iogino that Kosollock associatos with nodoinity cioatos nultiplo
spacos loi tho Othoi. Il that is so, nodoinity nocossitatos nultiplo ioadings
ol altoiity, what Michol do Coitoau calls a hotoiology.
16
Tho nodoin is that
suloct which noasuios any distanco lion itsoll and iodoploys it against an
unlinitod spaco ol inagination.
Modoinity is stiuctuially pluial inasnuch as it ioquiios a hotoiology,
Ncrtn At|untic Univcrsu|s 851
an Othoi outsido ol itsoll. Tho nodoin is also histoiically pluial locauso
it always ioquiios an Othoi lion within, tho othoiwiso nodoin, cioatod
lotwoon tho aws ol nodoinity and nodoinization. That pluiality is lost
poicoivod il wo koop nodoinity and nodoinization as distinct yot iolatod
gioups ol phononona with tho undoistanding that tho powoi unloashod
thiough nodoinization is a condition ol possilility ol nodoinity itsoll. I
want to skotchsono ol tho contiadictions liontho Caiilloaniocoid to osh
out a conposito pictuio ol what I noan ly tho Othoiwiso Modoin.
Dierently Modern: The Caribbean As Alter-Native
At ist glanco, Caiilloan laloi iolations undoi slavoiy ooi an inago ol
honogonizing powoi. Slavos woio intoichangoallo, ospocially in tho sugai
olds that consunod nost ol tho laloi loico, victins ol tho nost dopoison-
alizing sido ol nodoinization.
17
Yot, as wo look closoi, a lowguios onoigo
that suggost tho linits ol that honogonoity. Chiol anong thon is tho slavo
stiikoi, who holpod docido whon tho loiling ol tho cano uicos had ioachod
tho oxact point at which tho liquid could lo tiansloiiod lion ono vossol to
tho noxt.
18
Sono plantois tiiod to idontily that nonont ly using conplox
thoinonotois. Yot sinco tho iight nonont dopondod on tonpoiatuio, tho
intonsity ol tho io, tho viscosity ol tho uico, tho quality ol tho oiiginal cano
itsoll, and its stato at tho tino ol cutting, othoi plantois thought that a good
stiikoi was nuch noio valuallo than conplox tochnology. Tho slavo who
acquiiod such skills would lo lalolod oi sold as a stiikoi. Away lion tho
sugaicano, ospocially on tho snalloi ostatos that pioducod cooo, woik was
olton distiilutod ly task, allowing individual slavos at tinos to oxcood thoii
quota and to gain additional ionunoiation.
Tho point is not that plantation slavoiy allowod individual slavos nuch
ioonto nanouvoi in tho laloi piocoss: it did not. Noi is tho point to conuio
inagos ol sullino iosistanco. Rathoi, Caiilloan histoiy givos us vaiious
glinpsos at tho pioductionol a nodoinsolla soll pioducing itsoll thiough
a paiticulai iolation to natoiial pioductionovon undoi tho haishost pos-
sillo conditions. Foi lottoi und loi woiso, a sugai stiikoi was a nodoinidon-
tity, as was a slavo violinist, a slavo lakoi, oi a slavo nidwilo.
19
That nodoin soll takos inoi contouis whon wo considoi tho piovision
giounds ol slavoiy. Sidnoy Mintz has long insistod on tho sociocultuial iolo-
vanco ol thoso piovisiongiounds, snall plots inwhichslavos woio allowodto
852 Micnc|-Rc|pn Trcui||ct
giowthoii own ciops and iaiso aninals on tho naigins ol tho plantations on
landunt loi tho nainoxpoit ciops.
20
Givontho highpiico ol inpoitodlood,
tho availalility ol unusod lands, and tho lact that slavos woikod on thoso
plots in thoii own lioo tino, thoso piovision giounds woio in lact indiioct
sulsidy to tho nastois, lossoning thoii paiticipation to tho iopioduction ol
tho laloi loico.
Yot Mintz and othoisincluding nysollhavo notod that what staitod
as an ocononic lonus loi plantois tuinod out to lo a old ol oppoituni-
tios loi individual slavos.
21
Thiough thoso piovision giounds, slavos loainod
tho nanagonont ol capital, tho planning ol lanily pioduction loi individual
puiposos. Hownuchto plant ol a paiticulai loodciopandwhoio, hownuch
ol tho suiplus to soll in tho local naikot, and what to do with tho piot
involvod docisions that ioquiiod an assossnont ol oach individuals placo-
nont withintho housohold. Thus tho piovisiongiounds canlo ioad not only
as natoiial olds usod to onhanco slavos physical and logal conditions
including at tinos tho puichaso ol onos lioodonthoy can also lo ioad as
synlolic olds loi tho pioduction ol individual solvos ly way ol tho pioduc-
tion ol natoiial goods.
Such individual puiposos olton lound thoii ioalization in tho colonial
slavo naikots, whoio slavosospocially lonalo slavostiadod thoii goods
loi tho cash that would tuin thon into consunois. Individual puiposos
ioalizod thonsolvos thiough pattoins ol consunption lion tho olaloiato
diossos ol nulatto wonon to tho uniquo jcu|urd that would distinguish a
slavo wonan lion anothoi ono. Tho nunloi ol oidinancos iogulating tho
clothing ol nonwhitos, lioo and onslavod, thioughout tho Caiilloan in tho
days ol slavoiy is sinply anazing. Thoii dogioo ol dotailsloi oxanplo,
with no silk, gilding, oinanontation oi laco unloss thoso lattoi lo ol voiy
low valuois oqually stunning.
22
Yot stunning also is tho tonacity ol slavos
who ciicunvontod tho iogulations and usod clothing as an individual
signatuio.
Il nodoinity is also tho pioduction ol individual solvos thiough pattoins
ol pioduction and consunption, Caiilloan slavos woio nodoin, having
intoinalizod idoals ol individual lottoinont thiough woik, ownoiship, and
poisonal idontication to paiticulai connoditios. It was a stiainod and
haish nodoinity. Othoiwiso nodoin thoy woio, yot still undoultodly nod-
oin ly that donition.
Ono could aiguoalthough tho aigunont is not as oasy as it soonsthat
Ncrtn At|untic Univcrsu|s 853
tho solvos on which I ust insistod nay havo oxistod olsowhoio without tho
loicod nodoinization inposod ly colonialisn. I would ioadily concodo that
point il it loads to tho ioalization that tho nodoin individual soll clainod ly
Noith Atlantic consciousnoss is not uniquo to tho Noith Atlantic. Ono could
also aiguo that tho dotachod individual soll is only a ction ol tho Noith
Atlantic googiaphy ol inagination, an idoological ly-pioduct ol tho intoi-
nal naiiativo ol nodoinity. Poihaps suipiisingly, I an ovon noio willing to
concodo that point. In oithoi caso tho contial issuo is not that ol an allogodly
nodoin individual suloctivitywhatovoi that nay lolut tho insoition
ol that suloctivity into a paiticulai iogino ol histoiicity. Clothing as indi-
vidual signatuio nay lo as old as hunan socioty. So nay lo tho pioduction
ol idontity thioughlaloi. At any iato, I doult that thoso two loatuiosoi any
ol tho naikois usually clainod to signily tho iiso ol tho nodoin sollist
oltainod as such in Ronaissanco oi post-Ronaissanco Chiistondon. Intol-
loctual and ait histoiy, litoiatuio, and philosophy nay havo nislod us in
ovoiiating thoso individual attiilutos ol tho nodoin soll to tho dotiinont
ol tho histoiical contoxt within which thoso solvos woio lashionod. Fianois
Haitog sots tho piooction ol altoiity as tho contoxt loi soll-idontication as
lai lack as Hoiodotus.
23
Gooigos Duly and his collaloiatois in A !istcry cj
Privutc Lijc oxtond notions ol piivacy oi ovon intinacy lack into tho Middlo
Agos.
24
I suspoct that with sinilai data ono could nako as potont discovoi-
ios outsido ol Chiistondon, thus iolativizing tho naiiativo that nakos tho
nodoin individual soll such a Euiocontiic pioduct.
25
Nocossaiy as this iovisionist naiiativo is, it is not tho contial issuo. Ciitics
ol Euiocontiisntoo olton osh out thoii aigunonts in toins ol chionologi-
cal piinacy. Thoy spond nuch onoigy dononstiating that loatuios clainod
ly Noith Atlantic naiiativos to havo loon Euiopoan ists could actually lo
lound olsowhoio loloio Euiopoan piosonco. But chionological piinacy is
itsoll a contial tonot ol Noith Atlantic inagination. Tho valuo ol loing tho
ist conos lion a paiticulai pioniun on tino, a spocic tako on histo-
iicity. Tho oxistonco ol coitain social loatuios outsido ol Euiopo nattois loss
than tho insciiption ol thoso loatuios in social and political ioginos tncn
and nuch loss ovon than tho insciiptions ol thoso sano loatuiosas lound
in Euiopo thonin Noith Atlantic naiiativos ncw. Fion that poispoctivo,
tho nodoin soll nay lo loss a nattoi ol tho contont ol an individual suloc-
tivity than that ol tho insoition ol that suloctivity into a paiticulai iogino
ol histoiicity and sociopolitical nanagonont.
854 Micnc|-Rc|pn Trcui||ct
Modoin histoiicity hingos upon loth a lundanontal iuptuio lotwoon
past, piosont, and lutuioas distinct tonpoial planosand thoii iolink-
ing along a singulai lino that allows loi continuity. I havo aiguod that this
iogino ol histoiicity in tuin inplios a hotoiology, a nocossaiy ioading ol
altoiity. Tho lact that Caiilloan histoiy as wo know it staits with an aliupt
iuptuio lotwoon past and piosont is stiiking. In no way could tho onloicod
nodoinization inposod ly colonization lo poicoivod ly any ol tho actois
as a noio continuation ol an innodiato past. This was a now woild loi all
involvod, ovon loi thoso who had livod within it loloio it locano now to
othois. Tho consciousnoss that tinos had changod, that things woio lall-
ing apait and coning togothoi in now ways, was loth inoscapallo and yot
insopaiallo lion tho awaionoss that othois woio lundanontally dioiont.
Tho sonsilility to tino and tho iocognition ol hotoiogonoity associatod with
nodoinity aio inoscapallo hoio. Indood, thoy havo loon contial thonos ol
Caiilloan scholaiship.
26
Hoio, slavo quaitois aio tolling. This spaco inposod tho suddon dis-
covoiy ol a connon Aliican past, lut also tho awaionoss that this connon-
ality laioly covoiod lundanontal dioioncos. Ono could not addioss that
othoi noxt dooi, who lookod so stiikingly sinilai, without using a languago
doiivod at loast in pait lion that ol tho nastois. Il tho awaionoss ol onos
positioninhistoiy, not ust as anindividual lut as pait ol a gioup and against
tho lackgiound ol a social syston, is a lundanontal pait ol what it noans to
lo nodoin, tho Caiilloanwas nodoinlionday ono, liontho voiy day colo-
nialisninposod its nodoinization. Il tho awaionoss ol sociocultuial dioi-
oncos and tho nood to nogotiato acioss such dioioncos aio pait ol what wo
call nodoinity, thon tho Caiilloan was nodoin sinco at loast tho sixtoonth
contuiylion day ono ol Noith Atlantic nodoinity. But il that is so, tho
chionological piinacy ol tho Noith Atlantic laltois.
Yot chionology hoio is only an indox. My goal is not to ioplaco Noith
Atlantic chionological piinacy ovoi tho iost ol tho woild with a Caiilloan
chionological piinacy ovoi othoi colonios and postcolonios. Histoiical pai-
ticulais nado tho Caiilloan loi lottoi and loi woiso tho aioa longost undoi
Euiopoan contiol outsido ol Euiopo itsoll, and tho only ono whoio Euio-
poans novod as il it was indood onpty land, tcrru nu||ius to lo lashionod
along nodoin linos. Now doninant Noith Atlantic naiiativosioocting
tho intoinational ioachol tho Englishlanguago, tho oxpansionol Piotostant-
isnas a vaiiant ol Chiistianity, and tho spioad ol Anglo-Saxon and Toutonic
Ncrtn At|untic Univcrsu|s 855
sonsililitiosioduco tho ciucial iolo ol Poitugal and Spainintho cioationol
tho Wost. A iolatod onphasis on tho Enlightonnont and on tho ninotoonth
contuiy and tho downplay ol tho Ronaissanco as a lounding nonont also
load to nogloct ol tho iolo ol tho Caiilloan and Latin Anoiica in tho pio-
duction ol tho oailiost tiopos associatod with nodoinity. That chionological
annosia ciucially inpodos oui undoistanding ol tho Noith Atlantic itsoll.
27
I want to insist that tho lossons loainod liontho Caiilloan aio applicallo
olsowhoio. Ultinatoly, howovoi, tho lact that nodoinity has long oltainod
outsido ol tho Noith Atlantic is only a socondaiy losson lion tho Caiilloan
Savago slot, a conclusion that still nakos us what is thoio to lo oxplainod.
Yot is tho altoinativo ioally what is thoio to lo oxplainod? Is tho puzzlo
tho lonalo slavo who usod hoi koichiol as individual signatuio, oi tho laws
that iopoatodly tiiod to cuil hoi individual oxpiossion? Is tho puzzlo tho
iosilionco ol tho cioolization piocoss undoi slavoiy oi tho oxpoctation that
onslavod Aliicans and thoii doscondants would lo oithoi a talula iasa oi
noio caiiiois ol tiadition?
28
In shoit, is not tho puzzlo within tho Wost
itsoll ?
Tho Caiilloan stoiy is loss an invitation to soaich loi nodoinity in vaii-
ous tinos and placosa usolul yot socondaiy ontoipiisothan an oxhoita-
tion to chango tho toins ol tho dolato. What is thoio to lo luithoi and lottoi
analyzod is tho iolation lotwoon tho googiaphy ol nanagonont and tho
googiaphy ol inagination that togothoi undoipinnod tho dovolopnont ol
woild capitalisn and tho logitinacy ol tho Wost as tho univoisal unnaikod.
Anthiopologists nood to tako luithoi distanco lion Noith Atlantic univoi-
sals as caiiiois ol that logitinacy. As a disciplino, wo havo launchod tho
nost sustainod ciitiquo ol tho spocic pioposals iootod in thoso univoisals
within acadono. Yot wo havo not oxploiod onough how nuch thoso univoi-
sals holpod to sot tho toins ol tho dolato and iostiict tho iango ol possillo
iosponsos. In tho contoxt ol this nuch-noodod ioloinulation, tho Caiil-
loans nost inpoitant losson is a loinidallo ono. That losson is that nodoi-
nity novoi wasnovoi could lowhat it clainod to lo.
Notes
I thank Claio Sannolls loi hoi iosoaich assistanco and connonts and Sauialh Dulo loi
pionpting this pioco and connonting on an aigunont contial to ny loithconing look,
Michol-Rolph Tiouillot, C|cbu| Trunsjcrnuticns. Antnrcpc|cgy und tnc Mcdcrn Wcr|d (NowYoik:
St. Maitins Pioss, zooz.
856 Micnc|-Rc|pn Trcui||ct
This aiticlo ovoilaps at tinos with ny loithconing look, and sono ol its thonos aio
luithoi dovolopod thoio. Tiouillot, C|cbu| Trunsjcrnuticns.
z Davios Huntoi, !n Scurcn cj Cc|unbus (London: Tialalgai Squaio, , ;, D. Watts,
Tnc Wcst !ndics. Puttcrns cj Dcvc|cpncnt, Cu|turc, und Envircnncntu| Cnungc sincc r.
(Canliidgo: Canliidgo Univoisity Pioss, 8;, o.
Willian Haidy McNoill, Tnc C|cbu| Ccnditicn. Ccnqucrcrs, Cutustrcpncs, und Ccnnunity
(Piincoton: Piincoton Univoisity Pioss, z, q.
q Sidnoy W. Mintz, Swcctncss und Pcwcr. Tnc P|ucc cj Sugur in Mcdcrn !istcry (Now Yoik:
Viking, 8.
Michol-Rolph Tiouillot, Motion in tho Syston: Cooo, Coloi, and Slavoiy in Eightoonth-
Contuiy Saint-Doninguo, Rcvicw(AJouinal ol tho Foinand Biaudol Contoi loi tho Study
ol Econonios, Histoiical Systons and Civilizations (8z: 88.
o Foinand Biaudol, Tnc Wncc|s cj Ccnncrcc, vol. z ol Civi|izuticn und Cupitu|isn. rtnr6tn
Ccntury (Boikoloy: Univoisity ol Caliloinia Pioss, z.
; K. N. Chaudhuii, Asiu bcjcrc Eurcpc. Eccncny und Civi|isuticn cj tnc !ndiun Occun jrcn tnc
Risc cj !s|un tc r,c (Canliidgo: Canliidgo Univoisity Pioss, o, q;.
8 To insist on tho iolovanco ol tho ist nonont ol glolality hoio is not to dony tho histoii-
cal spocicity ol tho oia ol Noith Anoiican donination that staitod altoi Woild Wai II,
lut iathoi to tako a nuch-noodod distanco lion doninant naiiativos ol glolalization.
I spoll out olsowhoio what is stiikingly now alout oui tinos, losidos Noith Anoiican
doninanco: tho donination ol nanco capital, tho intogiation ol tho woild naikot loi
consunoi goods, tho iolatod glolal pioduction ol dosiio, ospocially anong tho youth,
tho doploynont ol tho concopt ol cultuio as a naikoting and political tool, tho chang-
ing laco ol stato institutions, and so loith. A contial point hoio is tho oxtont to which
wo nisundoistand tho spocicity ol oui tinos whon wo ignoio tho nassivo onpiiical
iocoid ol glolal ows loloio q. Soo Michol-Rolph Tiouillot, Tho Anthiopology ol
tho Stato in tho Ago ol Glolalization: Closo Encountois ol tho Docoptivo Kind, Currcnt
Antnrcpc|cgy qz (zoo: z8, Michol-Rolph Tiouillot, Tho Othoiwiso Modoin: Caiil-
loan Lossons lion tho Savago Slot, in Criticu||y Mcdcrn. A|tcrnutivcs, A|tcritics, Antnrc-
pc|cgics, od. Biuco M. Knault (Bloonington: Indiana Univoisity Pioss, zooz, Michol-
Rolph Tiouillot, Adiou Cultuio: A Now Duty Aiisos, in Antnrcpc|cgy bcycnd Cu|turc, od.
Richaid G. Fox and Bailaia J. King (Oxloid: Boig, zooz.
Michol-Rolph Tiouillot, Si|cncing tnc Pust. Pcwcr und tnc Prcducticn cj !istcry (Boston:
Boacon Pioss, .
o Aiun Appaduiai, Mcdcrnity ut Lurgc. Cu|turu| Dincnsicns cj C|cbu|izuticn (Minnoapolis:
Univoisity ol Minnosota Pioss, o, Dilip Paianoshwai Gaonkai, Intioduction, in
Altoi[Nativo Modoinitios, od. Dilip Paianoshwai Gaonkai, a spocial issuo ol Pub|ic Cu|-
turc z; (, Dilip Paianoshwai Gaonkai, On Altoinativo Modoinitios, Pub|ic Cu|turc
z; (: 8, Knault, Criticu||y Mcdcrn.
Gaonkai, On Altoinativo Modoinitios, .
z Rogoi Chaitioi, od., Pussicns cj tnc Rcnuissuncc, vol. ol A !istcry cj Privutc Lijc, tians.
Aithui Goldhannoi (Canliidgo: Bolknap Pioss ol Haivaid Univoisity Pioss, 8.
Tiouillot, Tho Anthiopology ol tho Stato.
Ncrtn At|untic Univcrsu|s 857
q Tiouillot, Tho Othoiwiso Modoin, Tiouillot, Adiou Cultuio.
Roinhait Kosollock, Futurcs Pust. On tnc Scnuntics cj !istcricu| Tinc, tians. Koith Tiilo
(Canliidgo: MIT Pioss, 8.
o Michol do Coitoau, !ctcrc|cgics. Disccursc cn tnc Otncr (Minnoapolis: Univoisity ol Min-
nosota Pioss, 8o.
; Sidnoy W. Mintz, Tho Caiilloan As Sociocultuial Aioa, Cunicrs dnistcirc ncndiu|c
(oo: oq.
8 Accoiding to Hignan, tho hoad sugai loiloi addod lino, contiollod ovapoiation, and
docidod whon to stiiko tho sugai at tho point ol ciystallization. Ho was dopondod on ly
tho plantois to nako coiioct docisions in what ioquiiod piactical chonical knowlodgo
lut ionainod noio an ait than a scionco. Mintz discussos stiiking at longth, noting,
loiling and stiiking . . . ioquiiod gioat skill, and sugai loilois woio aitisans who woikod
undoi dicult conditions (B. W. Hignan, S|uvc Pcpu|uticns cj tnc Britisn Curibbcun, r6c,
r6 jBaltinoio: Tho Johns Hopkins Univoisity Pioss, 8q|, ;o;z, Mintz, Swcctncss
und Pcwcr, qo.
Rogoi D. Aliahans, Singing tnc Mustcr. Tnc Encrgcncc cj Ajricun Ancricun Cu|turc in tnc
P|untuticn Scutn (Now Yoik: Panthoon, z, Galiiol Dolion, Lcs csc|uvcs uu Anti||cs
jrunuiscs, XV!!cncXV!!!cnc sicc|c (Foit do Fianco: Socit dhistoiio do la Guadoloupo,
;q, Hignan, S|uvc Pcpu|uticns cj tnc Britisn Curibbcun.
zo Sidnoy W. Mintz, Was tho Plantation Slavo a Piolotaiian? Rcvicw z (;8: 88.
z Michol-Rolph Tiouillot, Pcusunts und Cupitu|. Dcninicu in tnc Wcr|d Eccncny (Baltinoio:
Tho Johns Hopkins Univoisity Pioss, 88, Michol-Rolph Tiouillot, Disciplino and Poi-
ish: Diioctois Woid, Crcsscurrcnts (Instituto loi Glolal Studios, Johns Hopkins Univoi-
sity (q, Michol-Rolph Tiouillot, Cultuio on tho Edgos: Cioolization in tho Planta-
tion Contoxt, in Who[What Is Cioolo? od. A. Janos Ainold, a spocial issuo ol P|untuticn
Sccicty in tnc Ancricus (8: 8z8.
zz Joan Fouchaid, Tnc !uitiun Murccns. Libcrty cr Dcutn, tians. A. Faulknoi Watts (NowYoik:
E. W. Blydon Pioss, 8 j;z|, q.
z Fianois Haitog, Tnc Mirrcr cj !crcdctus. Tnc Rcprcscntuticn cj tnc Otncr in tnc Writing cj
!istcry, tians. Janot Lloyd (Boikoloy: Univoisity ol Caliloinia Pioss, 88 j8o|.
zq Gooigos Duly, od., Rcvc|uticns cj tnc Mcdicvu| Wcr|d, vol. z ol Goldhannoi, A !istcry cj
Privutc Lijc.
z Sonotinos tho data aio thoio and only tho poispoctivo is nissing. Rovoising tho doni-
nant poispoctivo, Mintz asks, Who is noio nodoin, noio wostoin, noio dovolopod: a
laioloot and illitoiato Yoiula naikot wonan who daily iisks hoi socuiity and hoi capital
in vigoious individual conpotition with othois liko hoisoll, oi a Snith Collogo giaduato
who sponds hoi days loiiying hoi husland to tho Wostpoit iailioad station and hoi chil-
dion to lallot classos? Il tho answoi is that at loast tho Snith giil is litoiato and woais
shoos, ono nay wondoi whothoi ono liand ol anthiopology has not loon hoistod ly its
own potaid (Sidnoy W. Mintz, Mon, Wonon, and Tiado, Ccnpurutivc Studics in Sccicty
und !istcry j;|: zq;o, quotation lion zo;o8.
zo Michol-Rolph Tiouillot, Tho Caiilloan Rogion: An Opon Fiontioi in Anthiopological
Thooiy, Annuu| Rcvicwcj Antnrcpc|cgy z (z: qz, Michol-Rolph Tiouillot, Bodios
858 Micnc|-Rc|pn Trcui||ct
and Souls: Madison Snaitt Bolls A|| Scu|s Rising and tho Haitian Rovolution, in Ncvc|
!istcry. !istcriuns und Ncvc|ists Ccnjrcnt Ancricus Pust {und Eucn Otncr), od. Maik C.
Cainos (Now Yoik: Sinon and Schustoi, zoo, 8q;.
z; Eniiquo Dussol, Euiocontiicisn and Modoinity (Intioduction to tho Fiankluit Loc-
tuios, Bcundury z (: o;o, Michol-Rolph Tiouillot, Anthiopology and tho Savago
Slot: Tho Pootics and Politics ol Othoinoss, in Rccupturing Antnrcpc|cgy. Wcrking in tnc
Prcscnt, od. Richaid G. Fox (Santa Fo, NM: School ol Anoiican Rosoaich Pioss, ,
Tiouillot, Si|cncing tnc Pust.
z8 Tiouillot, Cultuio on tho Edgos.