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The Colonizing Self

Workshop Four in the 3-day Series:
"A Systems of Knowledge Approach to Sustainable Development"

The commoditization of labor required a totally new bodily discipline from pre-commoditized work. Before capitalism, work was task-oriented and embedded in a social fabric. Under capitalism, the disciplining of the labor force took the form of an external process of supervision and control. But at the same time an internal transformation took place: the reasoning capacity of the "mind" came to control a distinct "body," a body naturalized and objectified. Knowledge of the self ceased to be a techne, and became instead an episteme. The modern self required a rational mind to control the natural body, to civilize the dark and savage regions of the body; an ego to control the id. This workshop, in conjunction with the workshop on Work (q.v.), will explore the relationship between knowledge and power internally and externally, specifically the controlling, domesticating, and colonizing thrust of episteme.

Speakers:

• Durre Ahmed*, psychotherapist, Lahore.

• Frédérique Apffel Marglin, Department of Anthropology, Smith College, Northampton, MA 01063.

• Nancy Gutman*, Department of Economics, University of Massachusetts, Amherst MA 01003; 677 West End Avenue, No. 5-B, New York, NY. 10025; (212) 932-7520.

  (See the Introduction to this series in the listing for "The Body Politic" on Day 1.)

*Invited but not confirmed, or has not obtained needed travel funds.

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