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Episode #84 – Part 1/2
Summary
These excerpts provide a compelling introduction to Dr. Dubuisson’s book and its central arguments. This compelling interview highlights the complexity of Haitian identity, the challenges and motivations of return intellectuals, and the importance of nuanced historical understanding. Dr. Dubuisson’s personal reflections on her field work and her critical engagement with anthropological history add depth and authenticity to the discussion. The interview successfully conveys the book’s aim to foster understanding and dialogue about the experience of being Haitian in a globalized and fractured world.
Episode Notes
I. Core Subject Matter and Main Themes:
The interview focuses on Dr. Dubuisson’s book, “Reclaiming Haiti’s Futures,” which explores the experiences of “return intellectuals” in Haiti – individuals, often educated abroad, who return to the country and their efforts in placemaking and radical imagination. A central theme is the inherent multiplicity and fracturing of Haitian identity and the concept of “the nation.” The book challenges monolithic narratives about Haiti and Haitians, emphasizing the diverse perspectives and experiences within the country and the diaspora. Another key theme is the dynamics of displacement and belonging, both historical (starting with the transatlantic slave trade) and contemporary (experienced by those who live abroad and return). The interview also delves into the challenges of research and knowledge production about Haiti, particularly for those who have a personal connection to the country, and the critical examination of anthropological work, using Zora Neale Hurston’s field work as a case study.
II. Key Ideas and Arguments:
- The Multiplicity of Haitian Identity and the Nation: Dr. Dubuisson argues that the concept of a single “Haitian” or a unified “Haitian Nation” is problematic. Drawing on the perspectives of those she interviewed, she highlights the idea that “if you have a thousand Haitians, you have a thousand Haitis.” This fracturing of identities is not a problem to be fixed, but an inherent reality that must be acknowledged and discussed in multiples. The book deliberately speaks about a group of Haitians that are themselves multiple, pushing back against simplified understandings of Haitian society.
- Beyond the “Real Haiti”: The debate about what constitutes the “real Haiti” (e.g., francophone elite vs. indigenous/peasant) is discussed as a limited framework. Dr. Dubuisson suggests a more dynamic understanding of being Haitian as encompassing a particular type of displacement – “to be simultaneously displaced Africans as well as folks who are displaced Europeans.” This complex origin makes it difficult to define an “authentic Haiti.”
- The Audience of the Book: While the book is rooted in academic research, Dr. Dubuisson intended it to reach a wider audience beyond scholars. She explicitly states the book is “for me,” “for those with whom I worked,” and for the larger Haitian diaspora who have experienced displacement. The aim is to foster a sense of shared experience and to provide a vocabulary for understanding their place in the dynamic of being Haitian. She also hopes the book can serve as an “invitation” for others to understand their own condition in a fractured world by learning from Haiti.
- Placemaking and Belonging: The return intellectuals discussed in the book are driven by a “both and” desire: to create belonging for oneself and to make a difference in Haiti. They seek to escape feeling like “a cog in the machine in the US or in France” and find purpose in Haiti. This desire for placemaking is often fraught with challenges and requires navigating differing perspectives and sometimes conflicting efforts among those who have returned.
- The Challenge of Working Together: A recurring complaint among the individuals Dr. Dubuisson interviewed was the lack of synchronized efforts and dialogue among those working in Haiti, despite shared desires for belonging and positive change. The book aims to show these shared desires and encourage building from that common ground.
- Historical Framing and Challenging Assumptions: The inclusion of a chronology in the book is deliberate and not a full history of Haiti. It serves as a “cheat sheet” for the events discussed and, more importantly, challenges the assumption that issues in Haiti are solely the result of recent failures or Western imposition. By tracing a “genealogy” of return intellectuals and highlighting early educational efforts, the book demonstrates a longer, more complex trajectory and pushes back against the idea that there was no higher education or intellectual tradition in Haiti before certain points.
- The Original Displacement and Enslaved Intellectuals: Dr. Dubuisson emphasizes that the displacement and rupture begin with the transatlantic slave trade in the early 1500s (citing sources that suggest 1501 or 1517 as possible dates for the arrival of enslaved people). She argues against the notion that displacement starts later, such as in 1957. Crucially, she asserts that the first enslaved people were themselves “intellectuals,” possessing high-order knowledge systems in various fields (ecological, warfare, art, philosophy, theology, plant-based medicine, etc.) before their displacement. This challenges dominant narratives about knowledge and intellect in the context of slavery.
- Personal Experience in Research: Dr. Dubuisson’s decision to conduct prolonged field work in Haiti with her young son, living independently rather than with family, was a deliberate choice to “better experience what it means to stitch together a life in Haiti.” This personal experience provided valuable insights into the everyday realities of navigating life in Port-au-Prince and highlights the importance of “lalu” (a term suggesting a network of support) and community for survival and flourishing.
- Navigating Belonging and Insider/Outsider Status: Feeling a sense of belonging in Haiti was a gradual process for Dr. Dubuisson, moving from a feeling of “fraught belonging” to an easeful “villages” or awareness of local rhythms and dynamics. She discusses how being perceived as a “naive American” or a young person to whom wisdom could be imparted influenced her reception.
- Critiquing Zora Neale Hurston and the Insider/Outsider Dynamic: Dr. Dubuisson engages critically with Zora Neale Hurston’s field work in Haiti and Jamaica, particularly as presented in “Tell My Horse.” While acknowledging Hurston’s pioneering status as a black woman anthropologist, she challenges Hurston’s sometimes uncritical acceptance of things like the US occupation and her performative “insider” status. Drawing on LaYani Lyons’ concept of the “outsider within” and the “insider without,” Dr. Dubuisson argues that both positions – being from the community in the academy or from the academy in the community – result in a lack of full belonging in either space. She suggests that this “in Betweenness” is “generative” and encourages researchers to be self-aware of their compromised vision and the “impulse within me… to think about these kind of comparative lens of why don’t they just do better?”
III. Important Facts and Details:
- The book being discussed is “Reclaiming Haiti’s Futures Return Intellectuals, Placemaking and Radical Imagination.”
- Dr. Darlène Dubuisson is an anthropologist.
- The research for the book began around 2013, with prolonged field work in Port-au-Prince in 2017.
- Dr. Dubuisson conducted this field work while living independently with her young son.
- Potential dates for the arrival of the first enslaved people in Hispaniola mentioned are 1501 and 1517, with Dr. Dubuisson citing Marlon Doe’s work supporting the 1501 date.
- Zora Neale Hurston’s book discussed is “Tell My Horse, Voodoo and Life in Haiti and Jamaica.”
- LaYani Lyons is cited for her concept of the “outsider within” and “insider without.”
- Dr. Dubuisson references other scholars like Jean V, Michel-Rolph Trouillot, and Jean Casimir in relation to understanding Haitian identity and history.
- The term “lalu” is used to describe a network of support and community building, exemplified by Dr. Dubuisson’s personal experience during her field work.
IV. Supporting Quotes:
- On the multiplicity of Haitian identity: “maybe in the minds of each Haitian there is a particular Haiti. So if you have a thousand Haitians, you have a thousand Hades, right? A thousand perspective. But every time folks would come at it, it was that whatever it is a fracturing of identities. It’s a multiplicity.”
- On being Haitian as a type of displacement: “What it means to be Haitian is also a particular type of displacement. Original displacement. It means to be simultaneously displaced Africans as well as folks who are displaced Europeans. And it’s a particular type of. Is a particular type of multiplicity that I think is more dynamic.”
- On the audience of the book: “When I thought about who this book is for this is gonna sound odd to begin with, it was for me… It was for some sort of searching, it was for some sort of grappling… It was also for this larger kind of Haitian diaspora, those who experienced these forms of displacement that I discussed.”
- On the dual aims of return intellectuals: “So I talk about returning to create belonging for oneself… But then there’s a sense that we can actually make a difference, right? We can actually make a difference in matter and Haiti. So there was that, this kind of desire to create place for oneself, but that was always going to be in community with others.”
- On the purpose of the chronology: “What the chronology for me did is like what are the moments in the book itself… it’s like a cheat sheet… It’s created an arc for the narrative, but it’s also to say when we start talking about returned intellectuals in 1986, they are, if it’s part of a longer legacy, a longer trajectory, there’s a genealogy.”
- On enslaved people as intellectuals: “Let me start by saying that first enslaved folk were themselves intellectuals. We have to understand that.”
- On the generative nature of in-betweenness: “Either way, you don’t belong fully to either space. And what La Yani Lyons invites us is to create from that actual, that ambiguity that in Betweenness, she says is generative.”
- On self-awareness in research: “I have to be very careful about making claims of what I know. What’s going on, because already my vision is lack of a better word, it’s compromised.”
V. Areas for Further Exploration/Questions:
- The interview touches on the challenges of working together among return intellectuals. Exploring the specific barriers and potential solutions for fostering collaboration could be a fruitful area for discussion.
- The concept of “radical imagination” is mentioned in the book’s title but not deeply explored in this excerpt. Understanding how this concept plays out in the experiences of return intellectuals would be valuable.
- Delving further into the specific examples of “lalu” and community support networks Dr. Dubuisson experienced during her field work could provide concrete illustrations of this concept.
- A more detailed discussion of the different “types” of Haitians mentioned by the host at the beginning of the interview could provide further context for the idea of multiplicity.
Study Guide
Quiz
Answer the following questions in 2-3 sentences each, drawing on the provided text.
- According to the interview, what was the initial question Darlène Dubuisson set out to answer in 2013, which then shaped the framing of her book?
- How does Dubuisson describe the concept of “Haitian” based on her interviews and research?
- Beyond academics, who is a significant audience for Dubuisson’s book, and what is the author’s hope for them?
- What does Dubuisson suggest is the primary “both and” dynamic driving the return of intellectuals to Haiti?
- What is the purpose of the chronology included in the book, according to the author?
- Where does Dubuisson argue the “displacement” she discusses in the book truly begins?
- What specific challenges did Dubuisson face during her fieldwork in Haiti while living independently with her son?
- How did Dubuisson describe the experience of living with different people during her fieldwork, even though she lived alone in a rented space?
- What did Dubuisson observe as a key indicator that she was beginning to feel a sense of “belonging” in Haiti?
- Briefly explain the core difference between the concepts of “outsider within” and “outsider without” as discussed in the interview.
Quiz Answer Key
- The initial question Dubuisson sought to answer was “what is the nation?” Specifically, she asked “is there a nation?” which led to exploring the fragmented and multiple perspectives on Haiti.
- Based on her research, Dubuisson describes “Haitian” as a multiplicity, a fracturing of identities rather than a single, monolithic group. There is no pure or authentic Haitian in her view.
- A significant audience is the larger Haitian diaspora who have experienced displacement. Dubuisson hopes the book allows them to feel less alone in their experiences and hear from others like themselves.
- The primary “both and” dynamic is the desire to create belonging for oneself while simultaneously working in community with others to make a difference in Haiti.
- The chronology is a “cheat sheet” or selective framing of historical events discussed within the book, intended to provide context for the specific topics covered, not a full history of Haiti.
- Dubuisson argues that the displacement begins not in recent history, but at the point of the “original rupture or the wound” when African people were forcibly removed from their homelands and knowledge systems.
- During her fieldwork, Dubuisson faced the challenges of figuring out daily necessities like cooking, paying bills, transportation, and obtaining groceries, all while caring for her young son and working.
- Even though she lived alone, Dubuisson felt she lived with many different people, creating a network or “mini ku” of individuals like childcare providers, teachers, and neighbors who helped support her and her son.
- Dubuisson felt a sense of belonging developing as she learned how to navigate the streets with an “easeful awareness,” noticing subtle changes in the rhythm of her neighborhood and being clued into local dynamics.
- “Outsider within” describes someone who is from a community but working within a system that doesn’t fully embrace them (like a Black anthropologist in a white academy). “Outsider without” is the inverse, someone from the system (like the academy) working within the community, where they also don’t fully belong.
Essay Questions
- Explore the complexities of defining “Haitian” as presented in the interview. How does Dubuisson’s approach challenge traditional or monolithic understandings, and what are the implications of viewing Haitian identity as a multiplicity?
- Analyze the concept of “placemaking” as discussed in the interview. How do returned intellectuals attempt to create belonging for themselves and others in Haiti, and what challenges do they face in these efforts?
- Discuss the significance of the historical context and genealogy of intellectualism and displacement in Haiti, as highlighted by Dubuisson’s decision to include a chronology and begin her historical framing with the initial rupture of enslavement.
- Evaluate Dubuisson’s critique of Zora Neale Hurston’s fieldwork in Haiti and Jamaica. How does Dubuisson use Hurston’s experiences to reflect on her own positionality as an anthropologist, particularly concerning the “outsider within” and “outsider without” dynamics?
- Examine the role of “ku” (community) and networking in facilitating fieldwork and creating a sense of belonging, as described by Dubuisson’s personal experiences in Haiti. How does this contrast with or complement her academic understanding of belonging and placemaking?
Glossary of Key Terms
- Multiplicity: The state of being numerous or manifold. In the context of the interview, it refers to the idea that “Haitian” identity is not singular but comprises many different experiences, perspectives, and factions.
- Essentialism: The view that a specific entity has a set of attributes that are necessary to its identity and function. The term is discussed as problematic in scholarship, particularly in attempts to define a “pure” or fixed identity for Haitians.
- Francophone: Relating to or denoting people who speak French, especially in countries where it is a second language. Mentioned in contrast to other forms of Haitian identity (indigenous, ouza, peyizan).
- Indigenous: Originating or occurring naturally in a particular place; native. Used here in the context of debating what constitutes the “real” Haitian identity, potentially in contrast to European influences.
- Ouza: (Implied) Likely refers to a specific cultural or identity marker within Haiti, presented as a potential candidate for the “real Haitian.” The exact definition is not explicitly stated in the text.
- Peyizan: (Implied) Refers to “peasant” or rural people in Haiti, presented as a potential candidate for the “real Haitian” identity, distinct from those with European influences or urban life.
- Displacement: The act of moving something from its position. In the interview, it refers to both the historical rupture of enslavement and the ongoing experiences of Haitians leaving and returning to their homeland.
- Both And: A concept emphasizing the simultaneous existence or importance of seemingly opposing ideas or conditions. Used by Dubuisson to describe motivations for returning to Haiti (creating belonging for oneself and for others).
- Placemaking: The process by which people create places that are meaningful and functional for them. Discussed in the context of returned intellectuals attempting to establish their lives and contribute to Haiti.
- Chronology: The arrangement of events or dates in the order of their occurrence. Dubuisson included a selective chronology in her book to provide historical context for the specific topics she discusses.
- Historicity: The quality of being historical or of having occurred in the past. Dubuisson grapples with the historicity of events and how history is remembered and interpreted.
- Genealogy: A record of descent from one’s ancestors; the study of family history. Used more broadly here to refer to the historical lineage or trajectory of intellectualism and displacement in Haiti.
- Returned Intellectuals: Individuals of Haitian descent who have pursued higher education or professional careers abroad and have chosen to return to Haiti. They are a key focus of Dubuisson’s book.
- Neoliberalism: A political approach that favors free-market capitalism, deregulation, and reduced government spending. Mentioned as a factor that some sources argue has negatively impacted Haiti.
- Fieldwork: Practical work conducted by a researcher in the actual environment, rather than in a laboratory or office. Dubuisson discusses her prolonged fieldwork experience in Haiti.
- Ku (or Kou): (Implied to be a Haitian Creole term) Refers to a form of community, network, or collective support system. Dubuisson describes creating a “mini ku” during her independent fieldwork.
- Transactional: Relating to or conducted as a transaction, especially an exchange or interaction between people where there is a clear giving and receiving. Contrasted with the more generous and supportive nature of the “ku” Dubuisson experienced.
- Lalo: (Likely Laku) A term potentially referring to a yard, compound, or close-knit community space. Dubuisson mentions extending her “ku” to include neighbors in this space.
- Lemma Yo: (Likely meaning “them” or “those people” in Haitian Creole, potentially with a negative connotation) Used to describe how others perceived the returning intellectuals, often as outsiders or those who had left.
- Toujours: (French for “always”) Used in the interview to emphasize the ongoing and consistent nature of certain perceptions or feelings (e.g., the idea of a “toujours” or outsider).
- Dipo: (Likely meaning “after” or “since” in Haitian Creole) Used by Dubuisson to describe observing a change in her gait or movement “since” living in Haiti.
- Vilaj (or Vilage): (Likely meaning “village” or a sense of being connected to a place) Dubuisson uses this term to describe a certain manner of navigating the streets, indicating a familiarity and ease within the environment.
- Insidiousness: Proceeding in a gradual, subtle way, but with harmful effects. Used by Dubuisson to describe the kind of uncritical acceptance of harmful narratives or biases.
- Outsider Within: A term describing someone who is a member of a group or community but is viewed or feels like an outsider within that context, often due to their unique experiences or position (e.g., a Black anthropologist researching their own community from the perspective of the academy).
- Outsider Without: The inverse of “outsider within,” describing someone who is not a member of a group or community but is working within it, and is viewed or feels like an outsider from the perspective of the community members.
- Internal Exile: A term used by Dubuisson in one of her chapters to describe the feeling of being an outsider or disconnected even within one’s own homeland or community.
- Betweenness: The state of being in a position or space between two other things. La Yani Lyons is cited as suggesting that this ambiguity can be generative.
- Generative: Relating to or capable of producing something. The “betweenness” of the insider/outsider position is described as potentially generative for understanding and creating new perspectives.
- Complicit: Involved with others in an activity that is unlawful or morally wrong. Dubuisson reflects on the ways in which her own work, in translating experiences for the academy, might be complicit in certain systems.
- US Occupation: The military occupation of Haiti by the United States, which lasted from 1915 to 1934. Mentioned as a historical context relevant to Zora Neale Hurston’s fieldwork.
- Seabrook: (William type) An American journalist and author known for his sensationalized writings on Haiti and Vodou, particularly the concept of the zombie, which contributed to circulating biases about Haiti.
- Vodou (or Voodoo): A religion practiced chiefly in Haiti. Mentioned in the context of circulating ideas and understandings of Haiti and possession.
- Possession: In the context of Vodou, the phenomenon of a spirit (loa) entering and controlling a person’s body. Mentioned as a topic that circulated in discussions and research about Haiti.
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