[Reader-list] film on sonagachi wins oscar

[Danny Butt]

I found S Datta's response here unhelpful. Sudesh's email raises a number of
questions that have been discussed in the anthropology literature for many
years, and continue to be an important issue for many communities who become
"material" for first world subjects to document for aesthetic consumption
within the West.

(Linda Smith's "Decolonizing Methodologies" is a great book from New Zealand
as a starter on this)

I didn't find the questions racist, xenophobic, "utterly ridiculous" or
censorius. I think they highlight critical questions that need to be
answered to understand the political efficacy of work motivated by social
justice concerns, as the fact that various Oscar judges are "moved" by the
work will make little difference to the film's subjects. I would be
interested in finding out more on the questions Sudesh has raised,
particularly from anyone associated with the process of making the film. (I
am not trying to prejudge it, just want to find out more about the different
perspectives and expectations, as these are related to my research)

Thanks and regards,

Danny

On 3/2/05 1:02 AM, "S Datta" <sdatta at MIT.EDU> wrote:

> a totally unwarranted, and somewhat racist, rant against a
> film the writer of the mail i am responding to has not even seen. first of