Shining Path's Shining Path
Reading blog 10 Indigenous Mestizos
“A narrator is needed in order for this process to be consolidated and to transform it into political power” (Degregori 72)
The social mobility framing of Shining Path made a lot of sense of me. Anyone who’s experienced adversity growing up has had the thought of “I’m getting out of here.” I’m no different. I grasped onto my perspective of the best education I could, partly because I adore learning/being in academia, but also in partly because I wanted a change in my future circumstances.
Education is not the only way to achieve social mobility, but it is one of the more widely known and somewhat accessible ones. That is not to say that University has changed its ways from being an elitist, money-hungry, fairly uncaring institution. I’m grateful and very privileged to be receiving the education I am. To be able to critique UBC while actively attending it is an ironic position that is not lost on me. I have had countless professors who have invested time, energy and care in me which has truly changed my life. I’m writing my blog post on a plane from Cusco to Lima which was funded by the Canadian Government and UBC. There are perks to this position I have chosen.
I’m sure you knew there was a “but” coming. Despite all the pros of University education for social mobility I really connect with Degregori’s critique of the romanticizing and over-emphasis on this. This myth that education will hand you some objective truth is so alluring and of course, young people whose circumstances have left them with constricting options would want to grab onto this metaphorical golden ticket.
Shining Path acknowledged this major deficiency in opportunities for the majority of the people of the highlands and highlighted a path forward. Education and knowledge are power and for people that feel so incredibly powerless that was an opportunity hard to refuse. This was also coupled with the idea of permanent social reform, placing those who bought in with the opportunity to not only impact those around them but also generations to come. Giving access to this power to their kin and their children etc.
Of course, this did not happen that way. Education in this way can not be the “ultimate truth” nor an easy foothold into gaining power. Like the reading said “In this case we have education that is not liberating but authoritarian and ethnocidal” (162).
Hi Orla,
I agree with the gist of what you're saying, but I have to wonder what the education of the Shining Path would look like in practice. I'm not sure that it would provide any financial guarantees, or even pose at making them. I think it would be more like a "reeducation" than an education, more ideological than informative. But we can still engage with Sendero in a more charitable manner, and pretend that their education is the sort we grad schoolers might be a fan of. It still seems problematic to rely on this instead of other avenues of social change. For example if high school education became highly partisan I wouldn't be a fan. There's a lot of ways to think about this though, thanks for opening the topic.
Gabo
Hi Orla,
well put. Education is a double edged sword. On one hand it can be life changing and a way to a better future. But it also be used to oppress and deceive. Education alone is not unbiased or honest. It can be twisted and used. It's important to remember that there is more than one side to everything. Just like with Shining Path. Not excusing the bad things they did but it is important to also look at what they were fighting against.