LEMAIRE XAVIER · The imaginary institution of cultural difference in guyana

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Project objective

Content The aim of the research is to determine how the on-going colonization of the hinterland of Guyana modifies the representation of the territory and the symbolic boundaries among Guyanese ethnic groups. Each group may adopt different identity strategies facing conservationism or development ideology , using projects to redefine their identity. The research will try to identify the structure of local ideology of progress and nationalism, through a qualitative survey, based on interviews of Guyanese leaders and analyses of official discourses. Objectives1. This research will be followed by publications in sociological journals and a monograph.2. It will provide a comparative study case with a former research on French Guiana to obtain around 2005 a further academic qualification to direct research programmes (Habilitation).3. The building of a network among research centres in French Guiana/France and Guyana/England will result in transfer of knowledge in social sciences on the field of the reception of the ideology of progress or conservationism according to cultural identifications. 4. Studying the conditions of implementation of sustainable development projects will inform the European Community external cooperation policy. Expected impact for host institution is a better understanding of the situation in the Guianas that can lead to future comparative studies, in particular on the evolution of multicultural societies and the decolonization process. Connections will be made from ethnic studies to an integrated economic sociology approach For the applicant, training on ethnic issues will be facilitated by the access to the rich literature existing in the Centre for Research in Ethnic Relations on that subject and to the documentation on Guyana which is only available in Great Britain and interaction with a strong interdisciplinary team of researchers. Knowledge will come also from the network of Guyanese researchers and international organizations and NGO's working in Guyana from Great Britain.

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Participants

• UNIVERSITY OF WARWICK · COVENTRYCoordinatorUnited Kingdom

Links

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