Fredric Jameson's "The Geopolitical Aesthetic: Cinema and Space in the World" (Book Note)

 

Fredric Jameson's The Geopolitical Aesthetic: Cinema and Space in the World System is an influential work of cultural theory that examines the intersection of film, politics, and global capitalism. It forms part of Jameson’s broader intellectual project of understanding how culture reflects and mediates the complexities of postmodernity and global capitalism. In this book, Jameson draws on both Marxist theory and poststructuralist thought to analyze films as cultural artifacts that reveal, however obliquely, the structures and contradictions of the global system.

At the core of The Geopolitical Aesthetic is Jameson’s concept of “cognitive mapping,” which he initially introduced in earlier works, most notably in Postmodernism, or, the Cultural Logic of Late Capitalism. Cognitive mapping, for Jameson, refers to the way individuals attempt to orient themselves within the vast and abstract global space of late capitalism. This process of cognitive orientation is particularly important in an era where traditional forms of understanding, like class relations or national boundaries, have become increasingly complex and deterritorialized by the forces of globalization and multinational capital.

Jameson applies this idea of cognitive mapping to cinema, arguing that film, as a cultural form, provides a unique means for representing the spatial and systemic complexity of global capitalism. Films, in his view, do not just tell stories or present characters; they offer visual and narrative structures that allow viewers to grapple with the “unrepresentable” dimensions of the world system. Importantly, this does not mean that films offer a transparent or coherent picture of the world system. Instead, they mediate our fragmented and incomplete attempts to map that system.

One of the central claims of the book is that films, particularly those produced in the late 20th century, serve as allegories for the geopolitical realities of their time. These allegories are often indirect, using narrative and visual elements to suggest larger political or economic dynamics without making them explicit. Jameson argues that this indirectness is itself symptomatic of the difficulties inherent in representing global capitalism, which is so vast and complex that it defies easy visualization or comprehension.

A key method Jameson employs in his analysis is allegorical reading, which seeks to decode films as political texts that, albeit indirectly, reflect the global economic and geopolitical system. For Jameson, this process of allegorization is critical for understanding how culture interacts with politics in an era dominated by multinational capitalism.

For example, Jameson’s analysis of John Schlesinger’s The Day of the Locust explores how the film uses its portrayal of Hollywood and the American Dream to stage a broader critique of the contradictions inherent in capitalist culture. Similarly, Jameson’s reading of Francis Ford Coppola’s The Godfather reveals how the film’s narrative of mafia family dynamics can be understood as an allegory for corporate capitalism, particularly in the way it dramatizes the tension between familial loyalty and the imperatives of business expansion and profit.

In both of these cases, Jameson insists that the films should not be understood as directly political in the sense of overtly commenting on specific issues or advocating for particular ideologies. Rather, they are political in their structure and form, in the way they encode and reflect the contradictions of the world system. This allegorical reading allows Jameson to bridge the gap between the seemingly apolitical realm of popular culture and the deeply political dynamics of global capitalism.

Jameson’s concept of the national allegory, first developed in his essay "Third-World Literature in the Era of Multinational Capitalism", also plays a critical role in The Geopolitical Aesthetic. In this context, national allegories refer to cultural texts, particularly films, that reflect the political and economic conditions of a specific nation, but do so in a way that implicitly comments on broader global dynamics. For Jameson, the distinction between “First World” and “Third World” cinema is crucial here, as the former tends to focus on individual experience and psychological depth, while the latter engages more directly with social and political issues.

Jameson uses the example of Red Dawn, a Cold War film directed by John Milius, to demonstrate how even seemingly straightforward Hollywood action films can be read as national allegories. In this case, Red Dawn depicts a fictional Soviet invasion of the United States, and Jameson interprets this narrative as a reflection of American anxieties about its role in the global system, particularly in relation to the Third World. The film’s portrayal of a rural American insurgency against a foreign occupier becomes, in Jameson’s reading, an allegory for the United States’ involvement in various Cold War conflicts around the globe, particularly in Latin America and Southeast Asia.

This analysis of Red Dawn highlights one of the central arguments of The Geopolitical Aesthetic: films, particularly those produced within the capitalist culture industries, often express geopolitical anxieties and contradictions through their narratives, even when these themes are not explicitly addressed. The allegorical nature of these films allows them to mediate between the local and the global, providing a way for audiences to make sense of their position within a complex and interconnected world system.

In addition to his focus on allegory, Jameson also engages with questions of genre, particularly the relationship between realism and fantasy. He is particularly interested in how different genres deal with the problem of representing the unrepresentable nature of global capitalism. For Jameson, realism—while traditionally associated with the depiction of everyday life and social relations—faces significant challenges in the context of postmodernity. The scale and abstraction of the world system are such that traditional realist forms are often inadequate for capturing the complexities of global capitalism.

As a result, Jameson argues that many contemporary films turn to fantasy or science fiction as a means of grappling with these complexities. These genres, while ostensibly removed from the “real” world, provide alternative ways of representing global capitalism. In this sense, fantasy and science fiction can be seen as forms of cognitive mapping that attempt to visualize the otherwise invisible structures of the world system.

An example of this is Jameson’s reading of Blade Runner, directed by Ridley Scott. The film’s dystopian future world, with its stark division between the wealthy elite and the impoverished masses, becomes an allegory for the inequalities and contradictions of late capitalism. The film’s use of science fiction tropes allows it to represent the unrepresentable: the vast, networked nature of global capital, the exploitation of labor, and the alienation of the individual in a system that seems to operate beyond human control.

For Jameson, this turn to fantasy and science fiction also reflects a broader utopian impulse within postmodern culture. While dystopian narratives like Blade Runner may seem pessimistic, Jameson insists that they nonetheless contain a form of utopian desire, an attempt to imagine alternatives to the existing world system, even if those alternatives are framed in negative terms. This utopian impulse is central to Jameson’s understanding of culture under late capitalism: even as films reflect the contradictions and limitations of the current system, they also point, however obliquely, to the possibility of a different, more just world.

 

Spitta, Between Two Waters: Narratives of Transculturation in Latin America" (Book Note)

 

 

In "Between Two Waters," Silvia Spitta delves into the analysis of "narratives of transculturation" originating in the Americas, extending the theoretical implications beyond geographical and temporal confines. Regardless of one's alignment with her interpretations of a diverse selection of texts and visual materials, the book prompts contemplation on the interconnected issues of language, knowledge, and power. Notably, Spitta communicates her intricate and sophisticated argument in clear prose, avoiding the jargon that often burdens other literary critiques.

 

At the core of her argument lies the concept of "transculturation," coined by Cuban anthropologist Fernando Ortiz in the 1940s. In contrast to the one-way imposition implied by "acculturation," Spitta defines transculturation as the "complex processes of adjustment and re-creation—cultural, literary, linguistic, and personal—that allow for new, vital, and viable configurations to arise out of the clash of cultures and the violence of colonial and neo-colonial appropriations". Specifically, she identifies a "transculturated subject" as an individual who is "consciously or unconsciously situated between at least two worlds, two cultures, two languages, and two definitions of subjectivity, and who constantly mediates between them all".

 

Emphasizing that the transculturation process is reciprocal, impacting both the colonized and the colonizer, Spitta commences her analysis with Cabeza de Vaca's Naufragios, an account of his early-sixteenth-century travels in the U.S. Southwest. Spitta contends that Cabeza de Vaca's adoption of indigenous culture and medical practices demonstrates transculturation. For example, his use of "nosotros" (us) to include himself and the indigenous people he traveled with, as opposed to "los cristianos" for other Spaniards, signifies a perspective "speaking from the American world". However, the debate arises over whether Cabeza de Vaca's case, where transculturation occurs after his capture and adaptation to survive, is the ideal example to generalize that colonizers change through discovery. While Spitta's argument aligns with the notion that transculturation is a two-way street, the frequency of its traversal seems more pronounced among the subordinated than those wielding power

 

The chapter focusing on Spanish priests' efforts to eradicate Andean idolatry prompts a reflection on the extent of deviation from one's culture necessary for transculturation. Spitta argues that the priests, confronted with indigenous adherence to Catholicism layered with indigenous symbols and meanings, had to become ethnographers to make Catholicism accessible to a different culture. In this process of altering the Other, they inadvertently underwent change themselves. However, the difference between this approach and Cabeza de Vaca's adaptation as a Shaman for survival is stark. While priests like Arriaga, Avila, and Bocanegra learned local languages and embraced ethnography, they seem to have retained the imperial "I/eye." The extent and nature of their change raise questions about whether it qualifies as transculturation.

 

Shifting the focus to indigenous transculturators, Spitta examines the Cuzco school of painting in a separate chapter. This school developed its unique aesthetic in the eighteenth century when Andeans rejected Spanish guidance, persisting in painting Catholic religious icons without adhering to European artistic and religious standards. Spitta contends that Western critics unfairly dismissed this indigenous art as "provincial" and "imitative" while overlooking the inventive liberties of the artists. A later section features a "picture essay" with concise explanations of various paintings.

 

A compelling example of conscious transculturation in literature comes from Spitta's analysis of Peruvian writer Jose Maria Arguedas' works. Arguedas, who declared, "yo no soy aculturado" (I am not acculturated), strived to unite the Andean and coastal worlds in his literature by writing in Spanish from a Quechua Indian perspective. Arguedas succeeded in his literary endeavors but tragically struggled to reconcile these tensions in his personal life, ending in suicide.

 

The last two chapters introduce a critical feminist perspective through Elena Garro's analysis of the Malinche myth in Mexico and Gloria Anzaldua's writings on the U.S.-Mexican borderlands. While this perspective aligns well with the narratives in these chapters, the potential extension of this lens to previous chapters is suggested. Spitta argues that "women's discourse constitutes itself by subverting hegemonic and historiographical discourses," raising questions about how this subversion differs from that of Arguedas or Cabeza de Vaca. Is "women's discourse" particularly subversive, or is it another manifestation of transculturation?

 

The book adheres to its principles by providing both original and English translations for every quotation, despite potential cumbersome aspects, emphasizing the centrality of language to the argument. However, reliance on an English translation for Father Pablo Joseph de Arriaga's The Extirpation of Idolatry in Peru, a significant primary source, is noted.

 

Analogous to the challenges encountered in the social sciences with the notion of resistance, scholars striving to illustrate working-class or subaltern agency have unearthed an extensive arsenal of strategies employed by the oppressed in their resistance against domination. Termed the "weapons of the weak," these manifestations of foot-dragging, gossiping, and sabotage, even in the face of severe repression such as slavery in the United States, showcase the creativity and humanity of those conquered, colonized, and oppressed. Despite numerous micro-studies revealing similar acts of resistance, the crucial question arose: "so what"? The tentative response has been an endeavor to establish connections between this subtle resistance and more overt forms of social change.

 

"Between Two Waters" emerges as a thought-provoking and intelligent book. Yet, a lingering concern arises: instead of embracing Arguedas' "yo no soy un aculturado" (I am not acculturated), there is a potential shift towards the more frequent assertion of "todos somos transculturados" (we are all transculturated). Similar to the rallying cries of "todos somos indios" or "todos somos Marcos," resonating from countless voices in Mexico City in support of the Zapatista indigenous uprising in Chiapas, there exists a peril of obliterating differences in the fervor for solidarity. Spitta's book serves as a reminder that, within and beyond academia, there are individuals who have grappled with living between two waters and uniting two worlds without homogenizing them.

 

 

Shohat & Sam, "Unthinking Eurocentrism:Multiculturalism and the Media" (Book Note)

 

 

"Unthinking Eurocentrism: Multiculturalism and the Media" takes on the challenging task of critically examining power structures and discourses that stem from Eurocentrism in contemporary media representations. Ella Shohat and Robert Stam aim to completely rethink media subjectivities by deconstructing commonly understood terms and theories, destabilizing national imaginaries, and challenging the foundations of Eurocentrism. They adopt an adversarial approach, acting as scholars, educators, and activists to question Eurocentrism as an implicit subject positioning. They emphasize the importance of combining multiculturalism with the critique of Eurocentrism to avoid merely creating an accretive view of world cultures or simply inverting existing hierarchies. The book aims not to diminish Europe but to deconstruct Eurocentrism, making Europe one of many sources of culture rather than a singular one. Through a vast array of mass media examples in film, video, and music, as well as historical references, Shohat and Stam provide a comprehensive analysis. The journey they propose spans temporal, spatial, disciplinary, intertextual, and conceptual dimensions, creating a tapestry that mirrors the interdependence of cultural communities at the heart of multiculturalism.

"Unthinking Eurocentrism: Multiculturalism and the Media" is a valuable resource for advanced undergraduate or graduate classes, given its depth and complexity. The book assumes a certain level of reader knowledge and familiarity with a wide range of concepts and textual examples. Some concepts are briefly mentioned without detailed explanations, and many films are named but not extensively discussed. While it may complement the reading list for first-year media graduate students, incorporating it into an introduction to graduate studies seminar or other advanced classes would be more effective.

 

For undergraduates, the book may pose challenges as the vast array of films mentioned may not be accessible for viewing, making it a potentially frustrating exercise. However, the discussions of genre and in-depth textual analyses could provide balance to other undergraduate readings. For teachers of undergraduates, "Unthinking Eurocentrism" serves as a valuable resource, offering suggestions for curricular design, discussions of films suitable for class, and general insights for introducing multiculturalism into the classroom.

 

The authors define "Eurocentrism" as a construct that sanitizes Western history while patronizing the non-West, considering itself in terms of noble achievements while viewing the non-West in terms of deficiencies. "Multiculturalism," in their view, is a term pointing to a debate rather than having inherent meaning. They propose pushing multiculturalism toward a radical critique of power relations and emphasize the need for ethnic relationality and community answerability.

 

The book sets out to restructure and reconceptualize power relations between cultural communities, providing a framework for debate. Spanning Africa, Asia, the Americas, and Europe, it highlights the interdependence among cultural communities. The media examples encompass dominant, counter, and resistant media, and theoretical insights are drawn from both Western and non-Western scholars. The book also offers insights on reorganizing media courses and film/video canons within each chapter.

 

 

The core idea driving the desire to "unthink Eurocentrism" and advocate for a radical multiculturalism is the belief that most places in the world are inherently hybrid and syncretic. The narrowly defined and sometimes arbitrary modes of representing these places are not natural but result from institutional discourses and power relations. Media representations play a crucial role in identity construction, contributing to the isolation or affiliation of groups of people. Shohat and Stam focus on discursive practices inherited from the colonial period, asserting that despite contemporary concerns with multiculturalism, it is not a new phenomenon.

 

In Chapter One, "From Eurocentrism to Polycentrism," the authors deconstruct terms and theories with intricate histories such as "West/East," "race/racism," "colonialism," and "Third World." They illustrate the constructed nature of each term, the representational tropes they generate, and how these concepts have become blurred over time. Shohat and Stam emphasize the ambiguities of terms like "postcoloniality" and "hybridity" to set the parameters of their exploration. The material draws from film and media studies, cultural studies, psychoanalytic theory, post-structuralism, history, and colonial literature, demonstrating a cross-disciplinary approach aimed at political and politicizing rethinking of media.

 

Chapter Two, "Formations of Colonialist Discourse," delves into the history of colonialist discourse, revealing the shift in representation and relations between Africa and Europe post-1492. The authors show how colonialist discourse, rooted in the past, has shaped contemporary debates and representations. Cinematic representations, inheriting colonialist discourse, have contributed to the creation and perpetuation of an ideological positioning of the "Other." Shohat and Stam explore representations of Columbus's arrival in the Americas and subsequent colonization, emphasizing how cinematic recreations of the past reshape the imagination of the present and legitimize or interrogate hegemonic memories.

 

Chapter Three, "The Imperialist Imaginary," argues that cinema, as the world's storyteller, has played a crucial role in relaying projected narratives of nations and empires. The beginnings of cinema coinciding with the imperial project made it an ideal medium to project narratives of national self-consciousness linked to cinematic fictions. The chapter highlights the interconnectedness of cinema with imperialistic narratives and discusses how national self-consciousness became broadly linked to cinematic fictions. The authors analyze various films, including those commemorating Columbus, to illustrate the cinema's role in shaping imperialist imaginaries.

 

 

In their examination of discrete genres and representations of colonialism, Shohat and Stam focus on the Western and adventure films. They argue that cinema, serving as both science and spectacle, was particularly adept at creating and sustaining national imaginaries. The authors trace "the imperialist imaginary" from early to contemporary cinema, emphasizing its role in idealizing the colonial enterprise. The analysis includes examples from the Lumière brothers' early portrayals of North Africans to modern films like INDIANA JONES. The chapter illustrates how dominant cinema has spoken for the "winners" of history and shaped imperialist imaginaries over time.

 

Chapter Four, "Tropes of Empire," explores various representational tropes that underlie and reinforce the national imaginary. Shohat and Stam analyze gendered tropes connecting the colonized to eroticized geographies, dark continents, veiled territories, and symbolic fantasies of rape and rescue. They examine representations of women and non-Western bodies, using a blend of Freudian psychoanalysis and post-structuralism. The authors explore connections between cinema, history, anthropology, archeology, and cartography, emphasizing Hollywood's role in asserting historical and empirical knowledge through narratives pretending to these disciplines. The chapter contrasts mainstream cinema with examples from documentary and counter-practice, providing thought-provoking observations.

 

Chapters Five and Six, "Stereotype, Realism, and the Struggle Over Representation" and "Ethnicities-in-Relation," address issues of verisimilitude, truth in representation, the struggle over representation, and latent multiculturalism. The authors contend that filmic fictions inevitably bring real-life assumptions about space, time, and social/cultural relationships. They advocate for a shift from focusing on images to studying discourse, emphasizing the importance of understanding the institutions disseminating mass media texts and the audiences receiving them. Shohat and Stam argue that marginalized groups historically lacked control over their representation, making it crucial to read texts "from the margins" to reveal submerged cultural voices near the surface.

In "Unthinking Eurocentrism," Shohat and Stam highlight two key ideas. Firstly, they emphasize that stereotypes of marginalized peoples exist not only in Western but also non-Western mass media, illustrating the pervasive nature of Eurocentric thought. Casting choices, linguistic decisions, and audience expectations contribute to these representations. The authors assert that self-representation goes beyond marginalized individuals gaining control of production tools; it involves understanding stereotypes as part of a continuum influenced by various forces. The privileging of discursive analysis encourages recognizing that stereotyped representations are intertwined with other sociocultural factors.

 

Secondly, Shohat and Stam advocate for a syncretic understanding of multicultural societies, urging scholars to move beyond race-based binaries and consider ethnicities within ethnic groups. They use "The Jazz Singer" as an example, highlighting the need for a relational approach that considers both racial and ethnic dimensions. The authors argue for a multicultural approach that recognizes the interdependence of cultural communities in diverse populations. This syncretism is linguistic and cultural, fostering a conflictual yet creative intermingling of cultures. Chapters Five and Six link racial and ethnic representations to the multicultural society, challenging readers to rethink not only media representation but also their own perspectives shaped by these representations.

 

Chapters Seven and Eight shift the focus to specific films made by Third World filmmakers, exploring "The Third Worldist Film" and "Esthetics of Resistance." These chapters examine historical and contemporary radical political cinemas, showcasing films that counter Eurocentrism and propose alternative truths. The films presented attack Eurocentrism through formal innovation and a rejection or reconfiguration of hegemonic Hollywood conventions. Shohat and Stam underscore the radical potential of multicultural film and video practices, emphasizing that these works offer counter-narratives and counter-truths informed by an anti-colonialist perspective.

 

The authors conclude the book by discussing the relevance and radical implications of "unthinking Eurocentrism" for the classroom. They emphasize the indispensable need for re-envisioning global politics and advocate for a pedagogical approach that includes the deconstruction of spectatorship. In doing so, they provide practical suggestions for rethinking audiovisual pedagogy. "Unthinking Eurocentrism" is recognized as an important and groundbreaking work, offering a truly multicultural and interdisciplinary approach to media studies.