Essay Example on Peasants' Everyday Resistance: Hidden Transcripts & Public Reactions

Introduction

According to James C. Scott, everyday forms of resistances that are practiced by peasants and people controlled by dominant classes (Goldstein, 276). Resistance is aimed at reacting to oppression; it includes non-compliance, sabotage, pilfering, foot-dragging, flight, dissertation among other forms. The oppressed can ensure the dominant groups are made aware of the causes of their reaction or make the cause a hidden transcript. An example of a transcript that was made public to the elites in history is the push for better pay among the Black people in the Southern regions of America. In some cases, the subordinates can make some part of the reason public while others are hidden from their employers.

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Compare the forms of resistance found among poor Afro-Brazilians and young Tehranis

Resistance among the Afro-Brazilians and the Young Tehranis is expressed differently. The Young Tehrans tend to express their resistance by doing provocative acts against the tradition. Modernity and tradition in Iran seem to be in conflict, the youths, therefore, take advantage of this situation to identify themselves as modern class people (Shahram 170). The youths exhibit non-compliance to the cultural norms to provoke the dominant groups that defy their identity in society. This reaction is a public transcript kind of reaction.

Adoption of foreign cultural behaviors such as Persian serves as a provocation to the authorities in Iran. The behaviors are expressed by youths in public places. The use of language is also utilized by the resisting youth; they use improper language in places such as parties. Improper language is the kind of language that is not in accordance with the norms of their culture (Shahram 170). The general social order is an issue that they also disregard in protest against the dominants, they seem to be consumed by modernity and keep mocking the kind of lifestyles that authorities and rich people live. In general, pleasure is what most youth go for in resistance (Sharram 171). Some of them are involved in organizing political movements to deal with the authorities.

On the other, the Afro-Brazilians use different forms of resistance to their authorities. Oral culture is a common practice that such people adopt; it includes the formation of humor and criticism in terms of songs and other forms of literature (Goldstein 280). Women are involved in the formation of laughing groups which turn what the authorities decide into a laughable nature. Comedians are involved in making the situation look laughable. Jokes are therefore included in criticism. Criticism of the Jewish lifestyle is one way in which resistance is achieved (Goldstein 276).

The dominant culture and how does it oppress these subordinate groups

Among the Afro-Brazilians, there exist several forms of dominance; they among the causes of resistance that has been discussed above (Goldstein 283). The differences in hierarchies make more people keep fighting for power, this leads to oppression which makes individuals resist. Some races are considered not fit to be in leadership while others are considered best for leadership. The victimization against Jews is a form of racism that makes people resist (Goldstein 276). Gender is also an issue as men are considered to be productive than women. The rich are also a class of people who oppress the poor, they offer them opportunities to work but overwork them. Sexuality in most instances affects poor people in their working environments.

Among the Iranians, the rivalry between modernity and tradition make different classes of people to keep resisting each other. The founders of culture do not support modernity because they feel it covers traditional culture. The youths who seem to be vulnerable when it comes to adopting modern culture are denied their identity (Shahram 170). Young Tehrans resist with a motive of getting the right to identity. They also resist due to the position that they are made to be in by most people; they are always subject to elder people. Most of the youths are not allowed to rule, this makes them resist the actions taken by the authorities.

How do class, crime, and religion participate in the forms of resistance particular to each?

The resistance forms that are witnessed in Afro-Brazilians are caused by religion, crime, and classes of people. The relating of some groups such as the Jews to crime makes them be regarded as bad people (Goldstein 284). The Holocaust against Jews is an illustration of crime-related violence (Goldstein 283). Religion is seen in the way Muslims are seen to be different from the general public. The rich class of people seems to regard the poor as a different class of people. The needy are discriminated while working for the rich.

The Iranians resistance also originates from criminal issues, religion matters, and class. The culture of these people requires that people who not follow it be considered as criminals. The modern people are therefore seen as criminals in the community, hence causing resistance (Goldstein 285). Religion makes the language to be standardized in a way to respect authorities who oppress youths. Most youths resist because they do not feel like they are part of the leadership class. The rich class of people also seems to underrate youths considering them not so important in taking up leadership positions at work; they, therefore, look like unprivileged class.

Kinds of female bodies meet the norms and values of the dominant

The language, facial expressions, and dressing codes serves as a way to express sexual desires among women. The kind of language that has been used by women and men is disrespectful to any age (Goldstein 30). Women are involved in several sexual activities that make them look like sexual drivers. Some habits that women who meet the dominant behavior exhibit include ignorance. Several cases in the context show ignorance in women. Clothing and courage have been identified as what makes most of them flirt in public.

Women have changed into not being afraid of issues relating to sex. This is identified in the case of Claudia and Anita (Goldstein 35). The two were raped by assailants who broke into their room. This incidence, however, did not affect them, Anita instead is affected by the argument that they had with the Mother who was also involved in helping her abort the child that she had conceived. There is no effect that trauma causes in the minds of women; humor takes control of the situation instead. This case shows ignorance in women.

Another case of humor being replaced with trauma is seen when Gloria broke up with Ignacio; instead of being traumatized, she mocked him with his manhood, she also mocked the way he looked (Goldstein 23). This case shows how women turn sad situations into laughter and criticisms. This means of resistance make them develop the courage to publicly flirt with men. Women who were raped were forced to adopt these cultures so that certain dominant decisions would be made by the courts.

Meanings encoded in such bodily aesthetics

Eating has been used to refer to sex; the use of this word has led to women being seen as those eaten. Women tend to go for men who either have better sexual capacities or money. The demand for money has made women be seen as "Gold diggers". (Goldstein 890) This phrase refers to women who go for money in men. Some of them get married to men because they hope that their husbands will die leaving them with richness, hence they will be in a different social class. When women break up with their partners, it is perceived that either the man was not a good "eater" or did not have enough money to offer his woman.

The body of women adapts to this move by allowing itself to be used by men without worry. Most women are seen to have better ways of dealing with injustices against their bodies (Goldstein 285). They easily adapt to tremors and move on. Abortion is a solution that has been used to deal with pregnancies which they did not expect. They are also not shaken with relationships coming to an end. They seem to look like they are the ones who end and start relationships. The relationships may start due to richness nature in the man or his good work when it comes to offering sex.

Mothers of girls are seen to be misleading the children because of the kind of life they are leaving. Girls can easily procure an abortion without the parents preventing them from doing it. These habits are seen as modern habits in the Islamic Republic of Iran, therefore it is rejected. The traditional leaders fight hard to make sure modern activities do not take control of their original cultural norms.

How have Afro-Brazilian and young Tehrani women refused or resisted their domination through their bodies?

The domination that has made more Brazilian women turn into being sex aiders has been received by some of them. They, however, resist this habit through oral jokes. They crack jokes to avoid mental trauma that such behaviors have caused them (Goldstein, 276). There is distrust among the police because they promote the habits that are being followed by many (Goldstein 300). This distrust has made more women to be exploited; therefore, most of them end up being helpless. Most of them make jokes out of such situations hence hiding their sorrow. Women who are virgins are seen as not being honest, therefore, this attitude has made them resist by creating humor out of it. The women who were raped were not successful to win. Mothers have done all they can to protect their children from sexual predators but they have failed. The only option that has been seen remaining is acceptance.

Mocking of defiant men has been seen in women from Brazilian culture, consumption is also identified to be a way in which they resist their dominance. Searching for pleasure is what is identified to be driving more Brazilian women into sexual marriages with the intention of making money (Goldstein, 276). Women in the Iranian culture ensure that they have their rights and freedom; this, therefore, has made most of them keep within the doctrines of their culture. Modernism has been identified to promote marriage and human rights too. The youths have been involved in discussions concerning modernism to understand it. Their curiosity is what drives their ambitions to learn about foreign cultures such as Persian.

Works Cited

Goldstein, Donna M. Laughter Out of Place: Race, Class, Violence, and Sexuality in a Rio Shantytown. Berkeley: University of California Press, 2003.

Khosravi, Shahram. Young and Defiant in Tehran. Philadelphia, Pa: University of Pennsylvania Press, 2009. Print.