Tradition and Modernity: An Obsolete Dichotomy? Reflection on Binary Thinking and Indigenous Peoples

Germond-Duret, CV (2016) Tradition and Modernity: An Obsolete Dichotomy? Reflection on Binary Thinking and Indigenous Peoples. Third World Quarterly. ISSN 1360-2241

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Abstract

The debates over Indigenous peoples and development are often framed within the discussion on the shift towards modernity, the imposition of economic liberalism, and the resistance against external interventions, with a tendency to see Indigenous peoples as a possible alternative to the world economic order. However, looking at many development agencies’ discourses, the idea that Indigenous peoples would actually benefit from modernity prevails. The literature is divided along these two conflicting views and dominated by binary oppositions: traditional/modern; backward/advanced; sustainable/unsustainable, etc. This article discusses the tradition/modernity dichotomy and raises the following questions: is it relevant to think in terms of modernity/tradition in the case of Indigenous peoples? What does the use of such a dichotomy imply? What is the alternative? This article demonstrates that this binary opposition is neither relevant nor desirable, and that a new analytical framework is required. Instead, it proposes to use a Normalisation framework, which focuses on the attempts made to ‘normalise’ Indigenous peoples and encourage them to comply with existing social and economic models.

Item Type:	Article
Additional Information:	“This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in Third World Quaterly on 17 Feb 2016, available online http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/01436597.2015.1135396
Uncontrolled Keywords:	1605 Policy And Administration, 1606 Political Science
Subjects:	G Geography. Anthropology. Recreation > GN Anthropology
Divisions:	Natural Sciences and Psychology (closed 31 Aug 19)
Publisher:	Taylor & Francis
Date of acceptance:	20 December 2015
Date of first compliant Open Access:	17 August 2017
Date Deposited:	01 Feb 2016 12:29
Last Modified:	04 Sep 2021 13:32
URI:	https://ljmu-9.eprints-hosting.org/id/eprint/2794

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