On the Contradictions of 'Pluralism': A Theoretical and Empirical Overview

By Dr. Mauri Yambo

January 30, 1985

1. INTRODUCTION

If one accepts the view that all contemporary societies are heterogeneous, one finds it difficult to isolate societies [perhaps better understood nowadays as nation-states] in which the term "plural" cannot apply. What Gutkind (1957: 351) said nearly thirty years ago [nearly sixty now] of "multiracialism" applies equally well to the term "plural societies" -- particularly when defined as loosely as Mazrui (1969: 333) does. In other words, the term implies a polarity between its existence and nonexistence. CLICK HERE TO READ THE WHOLE PAPER IN ITS ORIGINAL FORM.

The paper was presented at a workshop on The Role of the Judiciary in Plural Societies, January 30 - February 4, 1985; Nairobi and Eldoret (Sirikwa Hotel). The workshop was organized by Kenya's Public Law Institute and the International Centre for Ethnic Studies, Colombo, Sri Lanka.

Music, Written Text and the Literate Mind

The literate mind is, I think, more charitable to (the frailties of) the spoken word, than to the written. This is perhaps because, in a great ironic twist, the spoken word has deep roots in the preliterate mind, which we have not quite lost.

The preliterate mind is by definition more aural than textual.

It is far easier to produce great music, than to write great text. And far easier to come upon fine music, than upon fine 'text' -- if you come to think about it.

Music so very often and so easily makes even banal words/lyrics soar into the poetic heavens.

Great literary or scientific text is incapable of dominating the airwaves, as music does. Such a text is not, alas, sexy enough for a 4:12-minute ecosystem.

And yet, for the literate (as for the closed) mind, great music -- in particular, of the popular variety -- when weighed against great scientific or creative literature (or the written word in general), simultaneously appears:

1. Less mainstream as a continual point of reference; and,
2. Even less consequential for important matters of day-to-day life -- a luxury lay society and culture can ill-afford.

But how ill-conceived is all that! How many insights have thus passed us by, and how many opportunities lost? 

CSO 103 ~ Introduction to Comparative Sociology, Partial Course Outline and Reading List

To Get the Latest Version of this Document CLICK HERE

[The old Reading List is no longer available]

 I co-teach this course, and cover two broad topics, namely:

Topic 3: Social Control, Socialization and Deviance:

Here, we interrogate the need for social control and, additionally, cover the following subtopics:

-        Definition and Context of ‘Control’ in Society

-        Levels of control: Self and Social Control

o   Aspects of Self Control

o   Aspects of Social Control

o   Interfaces between Self Control and Social Control

-        Explaining Deviance: Sources, Patterns and Consequences

-        Social Engineering.

Topic 4: Social Differentiation, Social Stratification and Social Class:

The subtopics covered here are:

-        Conceptualizing Social Differentiation

-        Changing Social Differentiation Patterns in Africa

-        Social Stratification and Structuration

-        Social Class and the Rise of the African Middle Class.

NOTE: The old Reading List is no longer available. Click here to get the latest list.

Prof. Mauri Yambo

September-December 2013