Colonialism and Its Others: Considerations On Rights and Care Discourses

Abstract

I point to a colonial care discourse that enabled colonizers to define themselves in relationship to “inferior” colonized subjects. The colonized, however, had very different accounts of this relationship. While contemporary care discourse correctly insists on acknowledging human needs and relationships, it needs to worry about who defines these often contested terms. I conclude that improvements along dimensions of care and of justice often provide “enabling conditions” for each other.

The Individualist Model of Autonomy and the Challenge of Disability

“…It violates their moral agency, isolates them, and perpetuates their inferior status by allowing dominant agents to override their expressed wishes and act paternalistically towards them ( [58], p. 135). This façade of the care discourse, which denies the "others" as equals who deserve equal moral standings, constructs those with impairment as inferior, in need of the paternalistic guidance and rule of their non-disabled superiors to promote their welfare ( [66], p. 135). In extending special protections, such paternalistic measures reinforce and yet conceal epistemic oppression and selfserving relationships of power and domination.…”

Māori parenting, from deficit to strength

“…The media selects which crimes it will highlight often from a racist slant (Stewart-Harawira, 1997). This is a continuation of what Narayan (1995) refers to as a Colonial Rights and Care Discourse where the paternalistic guidance of the nation portrays itself as promoting the welfare of the colonised while at the same time marginalising them as 'the other', as deviant and in need of instruction. It also justifies the removal of rights that other citizens have by placing them under greater scrutiny.…”

“…It is within the interest of the dominant culture to portray Mäori culture itself as being deficient because it maintains a feeling of superiority (Narayan, 1995). It means that Mäori continually need the coloniser because we can't deal with these things on our own.…”

Assistência democrática e democracias assistenciais

“…Assim como Uma Narayan observou, o colonialismo foi um discurso da política do cuidado. (Narayan, 1995(Narayan, , 1997. Então, como podemos distinguir o bom do mau cuidado?…”