Hegemony, Carib history and historical consciousness in St. Vincent
This thesis proposes that the Caribs of St. Vincent, who form a small minority in the island, have been the subject of a European discourse of alterity from the fifteenth century onwards. It further argues that the key tropes employed by this discourse were primarily reflexive and focused on emerging concepts of self and property. It is argued that, as a consequence of the hegemonic position that British culture attained in St. Vincent, the Vincentian population, both Carib and non-Carib alike, internalized these tropes. This has led most modern studies of the Caribs to present them as a marginalized population on the verge of extinction. This thesis argues that contrary7 to this misconception, the position of the Caribs has fundamentally altered in the period since independence and now features at the core of an essentialist discourse of national identity. Following a general introduction, the second chapter deals primarily with the construction of the traditional tropes associated with Caribness. In the third chapter the relationship of the Caribs to a developing European anthropology is examined with reference to concepts of natural law. This is followed by an analysis of the insertion of the island of
Twinn, Paul William
Hegemony, Carib history and historical consciousness in St. Vincent. This thesis proposes that the Caribs of St. Vincent, who form a small minority in the island, have been the subject of a European discourse of alterity from the fifteenth century onwards. It further argues that the key tropes employed by this discourse were primarily reflexive and focused on emerging concepts of self and property. It is argued that, as a consequence of the hegemonic position that British culture attained in St. Vincent, the Vincentian population, both Carib and non-Carib alike, internalized these tropes. This has led most modern studies of the Caribs to present them as a marginalized population on the verge of extinction. This thesis argues that contrary7 to this misconception, the position of the Caribs has fundamentally altered in the period since independence and now features at the core of an essentialist discourse of national identity. Following a general introduction, the second chapter deals primarily with the construction of the traditional tropes associated with Caribness. In the third chapter the relationship of the Caribs to a developing European anthropology is examined with reference to concepts of natural law. This is followed by an analysis of the insertion of the island of
hegemony history historical_consciousness propose form small_minority island subject european discourse alterity onwards argues key trope employ discourse primarily reflexive focus emerge concept_self property argue consequence hegemonic position british culture attain population non alike trope lead modern study present marginalize population verge extinction argues contrary misconception position fundamentally alter period since independence feature core essentialist discourse national_identity following_general introduction second_deal primarily construction traditional trope associate third relationship develop european anthropology examine_reference concept natural_law follow analysis insertion island