In his recently-released contribution to the Indigenous polemic in this country, anthropologist Peter Sutton has successfully introduced an open-minded sentiment that takes a continuing issue of great importance to a deeper level. With his book The Politics of Suffering, Sutton is motivated by a genuine desire to redress the grief and suffering of Australian Aborigines in a context where conditions in many communities have worsened over the last three decades. Of particular interest to the author are the increases in material assistance and the transition to Aboriginal 'self-determination' that have defined this period in time; primary outcomes of what Sutton refers to as a 'liberal, rights-based agenda'.
So why have matters worsened under such seemingly positive changes?
While I cannot answer this question adequately, it is worthwhile highlighting core components of Sutton's discourse.
Sutton moves the polemic beyond the overly-simplistic argument that the appalling gap, regarding health statistics and quality of life, between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians is attributable solely to dispossession and racism. Sutton writes of pre-existing aspects of Aboriginal culture colliding with a specific type of colonialism to create the damage that continues to be felt, He uses examples of remote communities who have been exposed to a much lesser extent of 'invasion' to help support his point, and, without advocating for outright intervention, uses the Aboriginal concept of 'kinship' to further our understanding of why some community members have specifically asked for a non-Indigenous police presence in their community.
Sutton also debunks myths and reveals lesser-known information to further highlight the constricted (and lazy?) mindset that has too often driven the 'progressive' side of the Indigenous issue. Exposed myths include the comparatively high prevalence of violence in pre-colonial Australia (when compared to other Indigenous societies) and the higher number of death rates for prisoners on community-based orders compared to those handed down custodial sentences (for a defined period Aboriginal prisoners fared better than those released back into the community according to an inquiry into deaths in custody). In what is a thought-provoking, detailed and nuanced exploration of the issue, Sutton also writes of how child-rearing practices contribute to the reproduction of harmful attitudes and behaviours. In light of everything discussed, the politicisation of the issue can seem heartless and misguided, having been hijacked by those with an ulterior agenda.
So are there any parallels to harm reduction? Is it too easy to over-simplify the illicit drugs issue into a basic discussion about the innumerable problems that have arisen since the introduction of Prohibition? Are the issues of rights and self-determination presented at the expense of that which will truly heal the wounds that lead to problematic drug use or that drugs can cause?
Contentious issues are rarely ever straightforward and I can't help but think that there is a danger of over-romanticising the pre-Prohibition era, or even a post-Prohibition era. I don't have the answers, and nor does Sutton's book speak in such terms, but the Politics of Suffering should remind us of the critical importance of understanding the complexity of such issues and the need to make sure that we haven't lost our way.
So why have matters worsened under such seemingly positive changes?
While I cannot answer this question adequately, it is worthwhile highlighting core components of Sutton's discourse.
Sutton moves the polemic beyond the overly-simplistic argument that the appalling gap, regarding health statistics and quality of life, between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians is attributable solely to dispossession and racism. Sutton writes of pre-existing aspects of Aboriginal culture colliding with a specific type of colonialism to create the damage that continues to be felt, He uses examples of remote communities who have been exposed to a much lesser extent of 'invasion' to help support his point, and, without advocating for outright intervention, uses the Aboriginal concept of 'kinship' to further our understanding of why some community members have specifically asked for a non-Indigenous police presence in their community.
Sutton also debunks myths and reveals lesser-known information to further highlight the constricted (and lazy?) mindset that has too often driven the 'progressive' side of the Indigenous issue. Exposed myths include the comparatively high prevalence of violence in pre-colonial Australia (when compared to other Indigenous societies) and the higher number of death rates for prisoners on community-based orders compared to those handed down custodial sentences (for a defined period Aboriginal prisoners fared better than those released back into the community according to an inquiry into deaths in custody). In what is a thought-provoking, detailed and nuanced exploration of the issue, Sutton also writes of how child-rearing practices contribute to the reproduction of harmful attitudes and behaviours. In light of everything discussed, the politicisation of the issue can seem heartless and misguided, having been hijacked by those with an ulterior agenda.
So are there any parallels to harm reduction? Is it too easy to over-simplify the illicit drugs issue into a basic discussion about the innumerable problems that have arisen since the introduction of Prohibition? Are the issues of rights and self-determination presented at the expense of that which will truly heal the wounds that lead to problematic drug use or that drugs can cause?
Contentious issues are rarely ever straightforward and I can't help but think that there is a danger of over-romanticising the pre-Prohibition era, or even a post-Prohibition era. I don't have the answers, and nor does Sutton's book speak in such terms, but the Politics of Suffering should remind us of the critical importance of understanding the complexity of such issues and the need to make sure that we haven't lost our way.
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