Maha I always remember the words of someone I spent 15+ years with, untangling story from those stories of generations of others:

“You never change people (systems) you change your relationship with them.”

If one is serious about creating new relationships then that implies breaking away from dependence on oppressive power relationships/systems.

I would absolutely agree that academia/education is one of those means of oppression and of protecting privilege.

Surely we need to engage in different forms of dialogue with those around us.

I remember a director of research saying that “research” as played out in academia (in France) was in no way a means to change society. I mostly agree with that.

I am indeed terribly sceptical about academic play cf:

http://tachesdesens.blogspot.fr/2016/11/send-in-clowns.html

Isn’t postcolonialism a variant of colonialism – forever referring back to colonialism?

Narrative (psycho)historical analysis might be a means to more clearly perceive those histories which belong to others and which make us belong to those others.

I know of no other way.

From my perspective you don’t conduct such work within the very framework which you perceive as oppressive – as you are forever oppressed.

If I choose personally to write as I write – there are good reasons.

I know that the labels which others pin on us are used to silence us.

Sod that. (Excuse my language)

I may hate reading what I have written after about 30 seconds but that is one good reason to openly write it.

Salut de Clermont Ferrand tard le soir.

Merci à toi.

Simon