Anthropos: Anthropos, 93.1998

Anthropos, 93.1998

Bibliographische Daten

Zeitschrift

Strukturtyp:: Zeitschrift

Werks-URN (URL):: https://digi.evifa.de/viewer/resolver?urn=urn:nbn:de:kobv:11-714820

URN:: urn:nbn:de:kobv:11-714820

Persistenter Identifier:: BV043334262

Titel:: Anthropos

Untertitel:: internationale Zeitschrift für Völker- u. Sprachenkunde

Erscheinungsort:: Fribourg

Verlag:: Ed. St. Paul

Erscheinungsjahr:: 1906

Sammlung:: Zeitschriften und Zeitungen > Zeitschriften zur Ethnologie

Wissensgebiet:: Sozial- und Kulturanthropologie > Allgemeines

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Strukturtyp:: Zeitschriftenband

Werks-URN (URL):: https://digi.evifa.de/viewer/resolver?urn=urn:nbn:de:kobv:11-711897

URN:: urn:nbn:de:kobv:11-711897

Persistenter Identifier:: 1515154324621

Titel:: Anthropos, 93.1998

Erscheinungsjahr:: 1998

Signatur:: LA 1118

Sammlung:: Zeitschriften und Zeitungen > Zeitschriften zur Ethnologie

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Strukturtyp:: Zeitschriftenheft

Titel:: Bd. 93, 1998, Heft 1-3

Sammlung:: Zeitschriften und Zeitungen > Zeitschriften zur Ethnologie

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Strukturtyp:: Zeitschriftenartikel

Titel:: The Sidama of Ethiopia and Rational Communication Action in Policy and Dispute Settlement

Sonstige Person:: Hamer, John H.

Sammlung:: Zeitschriften und Zeitungen > Zeitschriften zur Ethnologie

Anthropos 93.1998: 137—153 The Sidama of Ethiopia and Rational Communication Action in Policy and Dtspute Settlement John H. Hamer stract. - In this paper I seek to discover whether Jürgen ^bermas’s rational communication theory can be applied 0 l he dispute settlement and policy making of an African f ople jhg Sidama. of Ethiopia are shown to use rational üimunication in terms of establishing procedural limits to a ch consensus, recognizing distinctions between rational and National discourse, emphasizing the importance of norma- e truth concepts, and maintaining criteria for sincerity. In btparison with other African societies it is demonstrated that P. discourse is far from uniformly distributed across Africa. ln ally 5 the question is raised as to whether Habermas’s theory a V be more appropriate in some premodern than modern so- dis 1CS [Ethiopia, Sidâma, African societies, rational discourse, P u te settlement, communication, decision consensus] Sid* 0 Hamer, several periods of field research among the a ma in Ethiopia and the Bukusu in Kenya. - His publica- a s ~ as result from this research - include several articles am *^ e "Humane Development. Participation and Change ° n g the Sidama of Ethiopia” (Tuscaloosa 1987). ^ this paper I examine rationality as it relates th ^ s P ute settlement and policy making among f e Sidama of Ethiopia. 1 The theoretical setting r this analysis is that of rational communication chon as propounded by Jürgen Habermas (1984). ^ e problem will be to consider the validity claims ^ rut h, normative commitment, and sincerity, bedded in argumentative reasoning, directed ^ard establishment of social consensus. First it 1 1 be necessary to discuss consensual argumenta- c discourse concepts as developed by Habermas. Habermas postulates that in the “modern” world b ^ 0ns raising validity claims have to distinguish yveen language representations and the objects on ^ re P resent in order to reach a consensus Cq bow to deal with the latter (1984: 51). By ntrast > there is a tendency in the “primitive” ^ 0r jd of myth for the “objective” and “social” se F t0 m i xe d- Therefore the linguistic repre sentations of them are reified, leading to dogmatic si ^i°n s outside the realm of “rational discus- Ca n 0r “criticism.” In his view rational discourse °nly occur when a discussion is open and of sufficient length so that the validity claims of truth, normative commitment, and sincerity can be used to reach an understanding (42^44). Habermas admits that such an ideal speech situation is only a latent possibility and not a reality. Nevertheless, the universal structure of speech implies the poten tial for realization of the ideal. It is his contention that all speech directed toward intention requires some form of truth orientation. What this truth may be can only be realized through consensual discourse (372). Habermas does not accept Peter Winch’s prop osition that worldviews of truth are relative to particular language structures. He accepts the prin ciple that all languages will provide some truth criteria, but the forms will vary and some will make greater provision for elaboration than others (1984: 58 f.). In fact he has been criticized for ignoring cultural differences in arriving at truth concepts, and that norms and values may not be conceptualized as open to discursive validation (Braaten 1991: 35 f.). But, in Habermas’s view language should be simply a means of “. . . communicative action utterances ...” for reaching understanding with others (1984: 98 f.). The ques tion is the extent to which it permits contestation between subjects regarding the validity claims that can lead to consensual action? Despite some degree of linguistic terms for truth and rationality in all languages Habermas has tended to equate the highest degree of potential for rational discourse with the “modernism” of the Western world. The use of myth to conflate nature and culture on the same level cannot, in his view, compare with the standards of the modern thinker (1984: 48). Since a clear distinction is not made between things and persons, moral failure is articulated with physical failure. 1 Research with the Sidama was carried out in 1964-65, 1973, and for a brief period of interviews in 1984. Support was provided by the Ford Foundation, Great lakes Colleges Association, and Canada Council.

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