Four concepts to think from the South

Abstract

This is a continuation of the first text I wrote for the ‘What Is Cultural Studies?’ series, defending the importance of theories and voices from the margins, from the oppressed. Now, I introduce four concepts created or adapted by intellectuals who – because of their displacement, double vision or contextual disadvantage – can propose theoretical tools and lenses to look at the world, useful for understanding social and cultural dynamics, both locally and globally. I argue that the intellectual production from the global South is deeply entangled with the global North, be it because we adopted (or were forced to use) Western knowledge bases, be it because the unequal and strong relation between the regions enabled the material and symbolic exploitation of some and the wealth of others. The concepts of Améfrica Ladina, double bind/knot, pact of whiteness and impedance are key to reflect upon otherness, communication, media, and cultural studies.