Question

Considering Domination and the Arts of Resistance by James Scott, what is the relationship between the hidden transcript and subcultural resistance?

Answer 1

Ans- James C. Scott was an American political scientist and an anthropologist. His primary research was on peasants of Southeast Asia and strategies of resistance to various form of dominance.

In his research, he chose one canvas painted comparative pictures of slaves, untouchables from early modern period to present. He characterizes the public forms of social subordination( public transcript) in contrast with disguised and covert discourse( hidden transcript) with no surveillance.

Before discussing the relationship between the hidden transcripts and subcultural resistance, we will get to know about their meanings first.

HIDDEN TRANSCRIPT- Discussion of power and discussion, some resistance that is not seen in the eyes of a powerful person. it comes in the front at the time of conflict. individuals try to enforce power and societal ideas appear and called public transcripts hides various ideas, things on which agreement is not there and called hidden transcripts. so as to remain safe in front of the powerful people.

According to Scott's research, people followed social and cultural formats without agreeing to the ideas behind them. He told about slaves in 19th century US was in slave society who behave obediently in front of their master to avoid from punishment but they learn tactics to slow down the pace of work and pretends to be less intelligent in their community. In American sale society, Blue music was seen as offspring to hidden transcripts.

SUBCULTURE RESISTANCE- It opposes a culture, the population whole agrees upon to be normal and polite. They resist the norms and values of a culture. They undermine the dominant social meaning and powerful relationship and resist dominant system and social norms.

By getting to know the meaning of these two terms we get to know the relationship between ten as they resist social norms and oppose something but tried to hide so as to not to confront themselves among powerful people so as to avoid from cruelty and punishment.