Strategic ignorance, is it appropriate for indigenous resistance?. Sullivan-Clarke, A. Critical Review of International Social and Political Philosophy, 27(1):78 – 93, 2024. Publisher: Routledge Type: Article
Strategic ignorance, is it appropriate for indigenous resistance? [link]Paper  doi  abstract   bibtex   
In The Racial Contract, Charles Mills introduces the notion of an ‘inverted epistemology,’ an epistemology that construes social and racial ignorance as knowledge (p.18). As Mills points out, such ignorance can be used to oppress people by creating alternate realities or ‘white mythologies’ about race (p. 19). If the racial contract results in a society that oppresses people of color and supports white supremacy, then the question of how to correct an inverted epistemology becomes critical. Mills proposes the correction of history and the racist thinking underwriting it as a solution to the problem. Others, like Alison Bailey, seek to confront racial ignorance with active resistance by suggesting that individuals from historically marginalized groups exploit what members of dominant society don’t know (p. 77). While Bailey’s solution, referred to as strategic ignorance, may originate from good intentions, I argue that it is in general inappropriate for Indigenous people. Strategic ignorance is a product of the Western worldview, and it privileges Western values. In fact, both solutions offered by Mills and Bailey fail to consider Indigenous values. Mills’ proposed solution, however, is less objectionable. Instead of either solution, a more suitable form of resistance–one that embraces connectedness, balance, and harmony–would be ideal for the Indigenous communities of Turtle Island. © 2024 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.
@article{sullivan-clarke_strategic_2024,
	title = {Strategic ignorance, is it appropriate for indigenous resistance?},
	volume = {27},
	issn = {13698230},
	url = {https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85183122501&doi=10.1080%2f13698230.2024.2305015&partnerID=40&md5=ed3e03527b9334d982ab41b86ba586e0},
	doi = {10.1080/13698230.2024.2305015},
	abstract = {In The Racial Contract, Charles Mills introduces the notion of an ‘inverted epistemology,’ an epistemology that construes social and racial ignorance as knowledge (p.18). As Mills points out, such ignorance can be used to oppress people by creating alternate realities or ‘white mythologies’ about race (p. 19). If the racial contract results in a society that oppresses people of color and supports white supremacy, then the question of how to correct an inverted epistemology becomes critical. Mills proposes the correction of history and the racist thinking underwriting it as a solution to the problem. Others, like Alison Bailey, seek to confront racial ignorance with active resistance by suggesting that individuals from historically marginalized groups exploit what members of dominant society don’t know (p. 77). While Bailey’s solution, referred to as strategic ignorance, may originate from good intentions, I argue that it is in general inappropriate for Indigenous people. Strategic ignorance is a product of the Western worldview, and it privileges Western values. In fact, both solutions offered by Mills and Bailey fail to consider Indigenous values. Mills’ proposed solution, however, is less objectionable. Instead of either solution, a more suitable form of resistance–one that embraces connectedness, balance, and harmony–would be ideal for the Indigenous communities of Turtle Island. © 2024 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor \& Francis Group.},
	language = {English},
	number = {1},
	journal = {Critical Review of International Social and Political Philosophy},
	author = {Sullivan-Clarke, Andrea},
	year = {2024},
	note = {Publisher: Routledge
Type: Article},
	pages = {78 -- 93},
}

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