[JH] #02: Cultural Literacy & Great Books
Welcome to the second edition of this personal newsletter. Every other week I write a short letter about things of academic, professional, or personal interest. Thank you to all who have responded to the first edition, I appreciate hearing from readers.
A few people asked about the PhD project. It is a long story. 10-15 years ago I worked for a Bible translation organization within which a debate was raging about the proper translation of a particular word. I tried to contribute to the conversation but was quickly closed down. At the time it struck me that people were talking past each other: some were asking theological questions, while others insisted that it was all purely a matter of linguistics. At the same time, it was clear to me that the underlying issues never fully came to the surface. The PhD project is my attempt to do that. Getting the project going has been challenging, a couple of international moves and ministry issues have not made it easier. But things are moving in the right direction now. The official description can be found here: “translation between hermeneutics and metaphysics“. Over time I have shifted focus a little bit, but the central question is still there.
At the moment I am working on an article about “Translation Studies” as an academic discipline. What are we looking at when we ask questions about translation? What can be said about translation (and what not?) What kind of knowledge do we produce? Is it valid and how do we know? What is scientific or academic about this? And, given the fact that most Translation Studies scholars think that these questions are a waste of time, what does that tell us about their research? Sometimes I wonder which journal will accept this article 🙂 but I first need to write another 8000 words. I’ll share about the writing process the next time.
On Cultural Literacy
This summer, I taught a three-day workshop about “Cultural Literacy.” It was an interesting experience, both for the participants (a group of American Anglicans who were at a Summer Camp in Germany) and for me as the tour guide. Because I will talk a lot about various aspects of Cultural Literacy in future emails, let me start by giving a short introduction.
Cultural Literacy is our ability to read and interpret the world around us so that we are able to respond well. One of the assumptions behind the project is that culture is readable and the world is filled with signs and meanings. Literacy involves being able to read and interpret those signs, but also being able to create new cultural signs in response.
Why is Cultural Literacy important? We live in a time of VUCA, Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity and Ambiguity. Many people experience difficulties as they try to read and respond to rapid cultural developments. Others see opportunities in the upheaval, perhaps we will be able to point some people to the Ultimate Signifier, the Logos which was from the beginning?
In practical terms, developing Cultural Literacy involves developing skills, gaining knowledge, and developing the right attitude. This obviously also requires attention and time to practice. As part of the workshop, we practiced the following framework: reading > writing > sharing
Reading is a metaphor for the interpretation of signs. I take signs in a broad sense. We read some texts (Plato and Kingsnorth) as part of the workshop. We also went to a Medieval cathedral to read signs made of stone, wood, color, and glass. And during the daily liturgy, the sign ensembles included music as well.
Writing is a metaphor for the creation of new cultural signs. During the workshop, we used language in the daily reflections and the journaling exercises. I know that one participant made drawings. The interesting thing about writing is that it slows us down: we cannot write as fast as we think, so writing creates space for reflection.
Sharing is an important value in the work of Cultural Literacy. Learning is of course social work, it is our participation in a wider community of learners both past, present, and future. One of the goals of teaching Cultural Literacy is to inspire and shape the next generation. We finished the workshop with a celebration in which everyone shared something that they had learned.
It was an interesting experience for me to share these things with a new group. It helped me validate an idea for a workshop which I am now offering to others as well. Please contact me if you are interested.
Other Things (found online)
Sometimes a single tweet paints a whole picture. This is what Ljiljana, a Serbian friend, wrote about the question: are great books elitist?
“Nobody in my gen who grew up in late socialism in the 70s, ’80s believed that classics were for the rich. Never crossed our minds. Everybody got to read them. A friend electrician with the 3 years of high school read Magic Mountain during breaks.” (Source: https://twitter.com/Ljiljana19… )
As I read this, I have a picture in my mind (probably because I know what Serbia looks like.) Speaking about great books, I always recommend these two resources:
(1) the Catherine Project and
(2) the book Lost in Thought: The Hidden Pleasures of an Intellectual Life by Zena Hitz.
What else?
As some of you know, in addition to the part-time work I do with students in Wageningen, I make websites for a living. I have space for new clients. So, does your company or organization need a website? Let me know, I would love to work with you. Please feel free to share this with other people. Thank you!