语言文化论文-The Organic Ethnologist of Algeriani Migration .doc

语言文化论文-TheOrganicEthnologistofAlgerianiMigrationAdelmalekSayadpassedawaytwoyearsagoatthiswriting,leavingbehindhimoneofthemostoriginalandfertilecontributionstotheanthropologyofimmigrationofthepastcentury.Throughouthisvoluminousandvariedwritings?closetoahundredpublications,includingeightbooksspanningthedestructionofAlgeriastraditionalpeasantryatthehandsofFrenchcolonialism,thedynamicsofmigrationchainsfromKabyliatoFrance,theimpactofdecolonizationonthereceptionofAlgerianworkersinMarseilles,theodysseyofthoseworkersandtheirchildrenthroughthelayersandinstitutionsofFrenchsociety,thesocialusesandpoliticalabusesofimmigrantculture,andtheeverydaylifeofAlgerianslumsontheParisianperipheryduringthefifties,allinformedbyanacuteawarenessofthepolitical-economicrootsandimportofhumantranshumance1-theAlgeriansociologistbothelaboratedanddemonstratedthepotencyofthreepivotalprinciplesforthestudyofmigration.Thefirstisthesimplebutfundamentalproposition,whoseimplicationsremaintobefullydrawnoutbyscholarsandpolicymakersalike,thatbeforeheorshebecomesanimmigrant,themigrantisalwaysfirstanemigrant,andthatthesociologyofmigrationmustthereforeimperativelystart,notfromtheconcernsandcleavagesofthereceivingsociety,butfromthesendingcommunities,theirhistory,structure,andcontradictions.Thecommoncontractionoftheemigration-immigrationdoublettoitssecondcomponentmutilatesthephenomenonandentrapsthestudyofmigrantsintoanartificialproblematicoflackanddeficiencyexplainedawaybyritualizedreferences,nowtotheirlowerclasscompositionandsubstandardconditionsofliving,nowtothepeculiaritiesoftheculturetheyhavebroughtwiththem.2Resistingsuchethnocentricimposition,thesociologyofmigrationmusttakeasitsobjectnottheproblemsthatmigrantsposefortheadvancedsocietieswhichattractthem,inmattersofemployment,housing,schoolingandhealth,butthedynamicrelationshipbetweenthesystemofdispositionsofemigrantsandtheensembleofmechanismstowhichtheyaresubjectedowingtothisemigration(Sayad1Thesebooksarerespectively(inEnglishtitles):TheUprooting:TheCrisisofTraditionalAgricultureinAlgeria(BourdieuandSayad1964),AlgerianImmigrationinFrance(GilletteandSayad1976),TheSocialUsesoftheCultureofImmigrants(Sayad1978),TowardsaSociologyofImmigration(SayadandFassa1982),Migrating-AHistoryofMarseilles:TheShockofDecolonization(Temime,JordiandSayad1991),Immigration,ortheParadoxesofOtherness(Sayad1991),andAnAlgerianNanterre,LandofSlums(SayadwithDupuy1995).TheculminationandquintessenceofSayadsfivedecadesofincessantresearchisDoubleAbsence:FromtheIllusionsoftheEmigranttotheSufferingoftheImmigrant(Sayad1999).2Arareandremarkableexceptiontothispattern,deservingofawidereadershipforitsmulti-level,comparative,andinterdisciplinaryapproach,isMassey,DurandandAlarcon(1987).Recentworkontransnationalcommunitieshasfosteredabelatediflimitedrecognitionofthedouble-sidednessanddualdeterminacyofmigration(seethespecialissueofEthnicandRacialStudiesonthetopiceditedbyPortes,GuarnizoandLandolt1999,andPortes1999).Whichnecessitatesthatonereconstitutesthecompletetrajectoryoftheindividuals,householdsandgroupsinvolvedintheperegrinationunderexamination,inordertouncoverthefullsystemofdeterminantsthatfirsttriggeredexileandlatercontinued,undernewguises,togovernthedifferentiatedpathstheyfollowed.Recognizingthatimmigrationhereandemigrationtherearethetwoindisassociablesidesofthesamereality,whichcannotbeexplainedtheonewithouttheother(Sayad1999a:15)enablesSayadtorevoke,bothempiricallyandtheoretically,thecanonicaloppositionbetweenlabormigrationandsettlementmigration.Theformeralwayscontainsthelatterinnuceandalwayseventuatesinit:theindividualdepartureofwage-seekingmengraduallysapstheworkofpreventionandpreservationwherebythegroupseekstomaintainmoralcontroloveritsmembers,andsoonerorlaterthelatterabandonsitselftofamilymigration,whichfurtheracceleratestheerosionofgroupboundaries.3Relinkingemigrationandimmigrationpointsalsotothesecondpillar-propositionanchoringAbdelmalekSayadswork:thatmigrationistheproductandexpressionofanhistoricalrelationofinter-nationaldomination,atoncematerialandsymbolic.Immigrationisarelationfromstatetostatebutonethatisdeniedassuchineverydayrealitynolessthaninthepoliticalfield(Sayad1991:267),sothatitsmanagementmayfallwithinthesovereignprovinceofthereceivingsocietyalone,ofitslaws,administrativerulesandbureaucraticdictates,andbetreatedasthedomesticissuewhichitisnot.Sayad(1979)shows,intheparadigmaticcaseofFranceandAlgeriainthepost-colonialandpost-Fordisteraaftertheflowofmigrantlaborershasbeenofficiallystopped,thatthenegotiationsbetweencountriesthatleadtointernationalconventionsandregulationsconcerningimmigrationarebilateraltransactionsinnameonlysincethedominanteconomicpowerandformercolonialrulerisinastructuralpositiontoimposeunilaterallytheterms,goals,andmeansoftheseagreements.4Butthereismore:everymigrantcarriesthisrepressedrelationofpowerbetweenstateswithinhimselforherselfandunwittinglyrecapitulatesandreenactsitinherpersonalstrategiesandexperiences.ThusthemostfleetingencounterbetweenanAlgerianworkerandhisFrenchbossinLyon-oraSurinamese-bornchildandhisschoolteacherinRotterdam,aJamaicanmotherandhersocialworkerinLondon,anEthiopianelderlyandhislandlordinNaples-isfraughtwiththewholebaggageofpastintercoursebetweentheimperialmetropoleanditserstwhilecolony.Therelationoftheemigranttohishomelandislikewiseinvisiblyover-determinedbydecadesofconflictualandasymmetricrelationsbetweenthetwocountrieshelinks:thesuspicionoftreason,evenofapostasythatenshroudshimthere(Sayad1999a:171)findsitsrootinthefactthatemigrationhasshakentheveryfoundationsofthesocialorder,ontheonehand,bycorrodingtheestablishedfrontiersbetweengroupsinthesendingsocietyand,ontheother,byaffordingthemigrantandhiskinanacceleratedpathofmobilitybutinanallochtonoushierarchy,onedevoidoflegitimacyinthemoralandculturalcodesoftheoriginatingcommunity.53Sayad(1999a:422-424)pointsoutthat,howevervirulenttheymaybeinthesocietyofimmigration,thereactionsofprotestandoppositiontomigrationareinitiallyevenstrongeramongtheemigratingcommunity,sostrongindeedthattheyoftenmakenativistandxenophobicresistancetoforeignersinthereceivingcountrysuperfluous.4Thesameistrue,mutatismutandis,fortheUnitedStateswithMexicoandtheCaribbean,orGermanywithTurkey,SpainwithMorocco,JapanwithKorea,etc.5Thisexplainswhypublicaccusationsagainstemigrationtypicallyaimprimarilyandmoreviolentlyattheemigratedfemalepopulationand,moreprecisely,atthebodiesofwomen,perceivedastheultimaterepositoryandvectorofthevaluesofthegroup(Sayad1984).3AthirdpropositionanimatesSayadstirelessinquiries:likeotherkeyprocessesofgroupmakingandunmaking,migrationhasforrequisitecollectivedissimulationandsocialduplicity.Emigration,andlaterimmigration,operatesinthewayitdoesonlytotheextentthatitcontinuallymystifiesandmisrecognizesitselfforwhatitis-or,toputitmoreprecisely,themagicaldenegation(Verneinung)oftheobjectiverealityofmigrationispartandparcelofitsfullobjectivity,itsdoubletruth.Thus,throughoutthetwentiethcentury,theFrenchauthorities,Algeriansociety,andthemigrantsthemselvescolludedinconcoctingatripleliethatallowedallthreetojustifytothemselvesthetrekofmillionsofpeasantsfromtheMaghribtothehexagon:thatmigrationwasprovisionalandtransitory,thatitwasdeterminedsolelybythequestforlabor(IcameheretoworksoIdrownmyselfinwork,intonesaKabylefactoryhand),andthatitwaspoliticallyneutralandwithoutcivicconsequenceoneithersideoftheMediterranean(Sayad1991:17-18).Allthreeofthesebeliefswereglaringlyandcontinuallydisputed,ifnotrefuted,bysocialreality,yetnoneofthepartiestotheAlgerianmigrationwaswillingtofacethatreality.Emigrationisneveranexportofrawlaborpowerandnothingmore(Sayad1999a:20)because,asatotalsocialfactinMarcelMausss(1990)senseoftheterm,itdisruptsthewholearrayofinstitutionsthatmakeuptheoriginatingsociety.Conversely,attheotherend,immigrantworkersarebutexceptionallybirdsofpassage,torecallMichaelPiores(1977)well-knownbook,fortheytooarechangedinandbymigration:theybecomeirrevocablydistancedanddis-locatedfromtheiroriginatingmilieu,losingaplaceintheirnativecircleofhonorwithoutsecuringoneintheirnewsetting；theyacquirethisfalseanddisjointeddouble-consciousness6thatissourceofbothsuccorandpain；theyareconsumedbydoubt,guiltandself-accusation,worndownbyanunjustanduncertainbattlewiththeirownchildren,thesesociologicalbastardswhopersonifythehorrifyingimpossibilityofthereturnhome(Sayad1988).AretiredAlgerianlaborersettledinaworking-classbanlieueofParisputsitpithily:France,Imgonnatellyou,isalow-lifewoman,likeawhore.Withoutyouknowit,sheencirclesyou,shetakestoseducingyouuntilyouvefallenforherandthenshesucksyourblood,shemakesyouwaitonherhandandfoot.(.)Sheisasorceress.Shehastakensomanymenwithher.shehasawayofkeepingyouaprisoner.Yes,sheisaprison,aprisonfromwhichyoucannotgetout,aprisonforlife.Thisisacurse.(.)NowIhavenomorereasontoreturntomyhomevillageinAlgeria.Ihavenothinglefttodothere.Itnolongerinterestsme.Everythinghaschanged.Thingsnolongerhavethesamemeaning.YounolongerknowwhyyouarehereinFrance,ofwhatuseyouare.Thereisnomoreorder.(citedinSayad1991:126-127,137)Acorollaryofthesethreeanalyticprinciplesisthatthesociologyofmigrationmustbereflexive,turnedbackontoitsownconditionsofpossibilityandeffectivity.Itmustincludeasocialhistorynotonlyofthedouble-sidedfactofemigration-immigrationbutalsoofthelayandscholarlydiscoursesthatswirlaboutthisfactinthetwosocietiesinvolved.Forthecollectiveperceptionofmigration,itssymbolicelaborationanditspoliticalconstruction(ofwhichsocialsciencepartakeseverytimeittakesoverthepresuppositionsoftheofficialviewpoint)areanintegralconstituentofitsobjectivereality.SayadinspectstheloadedsemanticsthathavegovernedtheframingofthequestionofNorthAfricanentryintoFrancesinceWorldWarII,6HerethewritingsofSayadevokestronglythoseofW.E.B.DuBois.Compare,forinstance,hisdiscussionofthesociologicaldoubling-upoftheemigrant,whobearswithinhimself,asaproductofhishistory,inthemannerofthecolonized,atwo-foldandcontradictorysystemofreferencesinhisbrilliantessayTheIllegitimateChildren(Sayad1977)andDuBoiss(1903)classicanalysisofthetwo-nessordouble-consciousnessofAfricanAmericansintheUnitedStatesinTheSoulsofBlackFolks.4Fromadaptation(totherequirementsofindustriallabor)andassimilation(totheRepublicannationalculture)toinsertionandintegration(intothesocialfabricandinstitutionsofthesocietyofsettlement),torevealthatdiscoursesonimmigrationarealwaysperformativediscourseswhichhelpeffectthewondroussocialalchemywherebyaforeignerismadeintoanational(Sayad1987and1994).AllthisSayadknewordiscoveredbecausehewasmorethanascholarofimmigration:hewasthephenomenonitself.AsanativesonoftheprovinceofSidiA颿h,intheLittleKabyliamountains,whohadrisentotherankofprimaryschoolteacherbeforereceivinghistraininginphilosophy,psychologyandsociologyattheuniversitiesofAlgiersandParisduringthewarofnationalliberationandwhothenbecameaResearchdirectorattheFrenchNationalCenterforScientificResearch(CNRS),thebrutefactsofimperialoppression,chainmigration,communitydislocationandfracturedacculturationwereconstantlywithhimbecausetheywerewithinhim:theywerehisentrails,hiseyes,hissoul.7Yethefacedthemwithamoralintrepidityandanintellectualdeftnessthatastonishthereaderwhoknewhim,hishistory,andthatofhispeople-onbothsidesoftheMediterranean-andthatcannotbutimpresseventhosewhodonot.Forforty-someyears,Sayadwaspresentinthefield,inhishomevillageofKabylia,inthemilitaryrelocationsettlementsoftheOuarsenisandColloregions,intheslumsofConstantineandthebazaarsofAlgiers,andlaterstillinthesocialhousingestatesofSaint-Denis,Nanterre,andVilleurbanne.There,hedisplayedallthesepersonalvirtuesofwhichtextbooksofmethodologysaynothingbutwhichalltoooftendecidethedepthandjustnessofethnographicwork,inlistening,observing,recording,transcribingandtransmittingthewordsheelicitedandwelcomed,withasympathydevoidofpathos,acomplicityshornofnaivet?acomprehensionstrippedofcomplacencyandcondescension.Afrail,soft-spokenandself-effacingperson,SayadwasamongthisverysmallgroupofindividualswithwhomonefeelsgenuinelyathomewhenintroducedtoafarmerfromKabyliaorB閍rn,orenteringtheabodeofaBerber-speakingmanualworkerfromS閠ifortheParisianRedBelt.Theuncommoncombinationofdiscretionanddignityhedisplayed,thesensitivityandmodestyheinvestedineveryexchangewithhisinformantscanbereadilydetectedintheadroitnesswithwhichheaccountsfortheirwords,thesensitivitywithwhichhepriesintothecausesandthereasonsbehindtheiractions.HisactivesolidaritywiththemostdispossessedwasthebasisofanexceptionalepistemologicalluciditythatallowedAbdelmalekSayadtodismantleagoodmanyprefabricatedrepresentationsaboutimmigration-suchastheeconomisticproblematicofitscostsandbenefits,whichjournalistsandpolicy-makersperiodicallyinvoke,withthediligenthelpofeconomists,soasbettertomaskthespecificallypoliticaldimensionandspringsofthephenomenon-andtouncoverandconfronthead-onthemostcomplexissues-suchastheorchestratedliesofcollectivebadfaiththatfuelmigrationstreamsortheexistentialrootsofthemigrationmalaisethatafflictstheimmigrantworkerevenafterhehasbeenmedicallycuredofoccupationalillness8-justashewouldenteranunknownhouseholdtofindhimselfimmediatelygreetedwithrespect,trust,andaffection.Itallowedhimtofindtherightwords,andtherighttone,tospeakofandtoexperiencesascontradictoryandchaoticasthesocialconditionsofwhichtheyweretheproductandtoanatomizethembymobilizingwithequalperspicacitytheintellectualresourcesoftraditionalKabyleculture,rethoughtthroughethnologicalworks(as7SayaddescribeshisearlyintellectualandpoliticalexperiencesaswellashisintellectualtraininginArfaoui(1996)；readalsoSayad(1995).8Cf.,respectively,Sayad(1977,1986,1981a,1981b)andhisvivisectionofexileasafallintosocialdarknessinElGhorba(Sayad2000,inthisissue).5Withthenotionofelghorbaortheoppositionbetweenthaymatsandthaddjjaddith),andtheconceptualarsenalelaboratedbytheresearchteamattheCentredesociologieeurop閑nneofwhichhewas,fromitsveryinception,anactiveandinfluentialmember.Inthehandsofsoskilledananalyst,theimmigrantfunctionsinthemannerofalive,flesh-and-bloodanalyzerofthemostobscureregionsofthesocialunconscious.Sayadultimatelyshowsushow,likeSocratesaccordingtoPlato,theimmigrantisatopos,aquainthybriddevoidofplace,dis-placed,inthetwofoldsenseofincongruousandinopportune,trappedinthatmongrelsectorofsocialspacebetwixtandbetweensocialbeingandnonbeing.Neithercitizennorforeigner,neitheronthesideoftheSamenoronthatoftheOther,heexistsonlybydefaultinthesendingcommunityandbyexcessinthereceivingsociety,andhegeneratesrecurrentrecriminationandressentimentinboth(Sayad1984and1988).Out-of-placeinthetwosocialsystemswhichdefinehis