“The association of resource degradation with poverty as opposed to wealth constitutes a ‘discursive knot’ (Rabinow 1986: 253). It is tied by asking, How can we help? And, What do we need to give to tropical forest peoples? This knot can be untied by asking instead, How are we hurting? And, What have we taken from tropical forest peoples?” (Dove 2001, p. 214)
In his book Banana Tree at the Gate Michael R. Dove uncovers some misunderstood truths behind poverty and resource appropriation among Indonesian smallholders. Dove explores political, historical, economic and ecological dimensions of resource use. The important lesson to take away from the quote above, however, is to understand that sometimes the best way we can help is to realize our missteps, to take responsibility for them, and to right the situation as best we can.
Overall a fascinating book about smallholder resistance to power. Dove uses a ‘myth-busting’ style throughout the text which makes it an interesting read and allows readers to see two sides of the same stories. He writes that he tries to, “naturalize a native view that normally is seen as bizarre and ‘denaturalize’ an official view that normally is not seen as bizarre,” (Dove 2001, p. 124).
References:
Dove, M. R. 2001. The Banana Tree at the Gate: A History of Marginal Peoples and Global Markets in Borneo. New Haven, CT: Yale Univ. Press.
Rabinow, P. 1968. Representations and social facts: Modernity and post-modernity in anthropology. In Writing culture: the poetics and politics of anthropology, ed. J. Clifford and G. E. Marcus, 234-61. Berkeley, CA: Univ. of California Press.
The Edited Jottings of an Amateur Anthropologist 