Dussel and Transmodernity

 On September 2nd, 2020, our group met to discuss two articles by Enrique Dussel: "Transmodernity and Interculturality: An Interpretation from the Perspective of Philosophy of Liberation" (2012) and "World-System and "Trans"-Modernity" (2002). Rosa O'Connor Acevedo introduced the texts and facilitated our discussion. 

At issue is the definition of modernity and the work the concept does. The concept of "trans"-modernity turns on the question of what modernity is, and similarly, Dussel's concept of exteriority may depend on what it is exterior to or else how the distinction of inner and outer is determined.

Dussel's emphasis in these two texts we discussed is less on defining modernity and more about the ways in which the colonized, oppressed, and those at the periphery complicate the sense of modernity as an exclusively European history. Dussel's efforts are towards showing how modernity is understood Eurocentrically and inaccurately when it is considered solely as a European phenomenon, for modernity must take into account the way in which modernity was borne out of experiences with other cultures, and not only experiences but violent acts of conquering.

Trans-modernity is a productive concept for other cultures because it opens up the possibility of appropriating and redefining the concept of the modern so that it is not a unitary and exclusive phenomenon, but is instead a potential for other cultures to constitute a "more human and complex world, more passionate and diverse" ("World-System and "Trans"-Modernity" 237).

Rosa's presentation guided us through discussions of major issues of the two texts: the importance of modernity, the concept of exteriority, what it means to be inclusive of other cultures, and intercultural dialogue. Our discussion closed with a discussion of the concept of the subaltern and in what ways it might illuminate Dussel's thought further. The subaltern may be a way to clarify and extend Dussel's concept of exteriority, for example. For this reason, we resolved to read Spivak's essay, "Can the Subaltern Speak?", for next week. 

-Ricardo Friaz