The author of; Where Olive, Lemon and Laurel Trees Grow (2010), Slobodan Dan Paich, discusses the Mediterranean, giving evidence that there are other views to be looked at other than the nationalistic view as is normally presented. Paich lets the reader know at the very beginning of the article that there is no specific hypothesis which he is attempting to prove or disprove. Instead he would like to bring forth evidence of many cultural similarities and the diversity of culture throughout different locations in the Mediterranean. Paich has taken ideas from German Art Historian Aby Warburg, Fritz Saxl and Erwin Panofsky as the methodology used has surpassed formal art history to include “research into meaning by following, identifying and collecting
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Paich believes the importance of the methodology used, looking at a historical and an interdisciplinary aspect, can lead to new understanding and appreciation of the Mediterranean which is closed off by a solely nationalistic approach. Paich is not attempting to prove any particular theory but to lay the evidence out, provided through a different perspective/ methodology to give the reader a different view. The examples looked at in this article involve; the commonality of architecture, goddess figures, and singing performances, to show the cultural similarities throughout the Mediterranean. The first example used the complex history of the islands of Maltese, looking at prehistoric temples and goddess figures. The first comparison is in the architecture of a temple, Ggantija on the island of Gozo located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea. Paich discusses Ggantija and the spaces between the inner and outer walls being filled with smaller stones, very reminiscent of the “dry stone corbelling technique” used on similar buildings called “trulli” located in Apulia of southern Italy (Paich, 2010, p. 318). …show more content…
Begger discusses the idea of maps being neutral and how this is a false statement, this is the idea of social reproduction; mechanisms by which a social order perpetuates itself. The idea of lines on a map dividing different countries does just that, it divides them, it promotes the idea of difference. While nationalism and pride for one’s nation is not a bad thing, culture should fit into the equation as well, where maps further divide regions, culture breaks that division with inclusion. Another relation between the article and ideas brought up in lecture is the idea of Monoculturalism and multiculturalism or transculturalism. Monoculturalism is the idea of one social or cultural group believing their culture is superior to other cultures and attempts to suppress other cultural practices and prevail as the dominant culture. Another key idea brought up by Begger is transcultural. Transculture meaning being able to see oneself expanding beyond their dominant culture and seeing the self as similar to the ‘other’ and then valuing each culture as
Paich believes the importance of the methodology used, looking at a historical and an interdisciplinary aspect, can lead to new understanding and appreciation of the Mediterranean which is closed off by a solely nationalistic approach. Paich is not attempting to prove any particular theory but to lay the evidence out, provided through a different perspective/ methodology to give the reader a different view. The examples looked at in this article involve; the commonality of architecture, goddess figures, and singing performances, to show the cultural similarities throughout the Mediterranean. The first example used the complex history of the islands of Maltese, looking at prehistoric temples and goddess figures. The first comparison is in the architecture of a temple, Ggantija on the island of Gozo located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea. Paich discusses Ggantija and the spaces between the inner and outer walls being filled with smaller stones, very reminiscent of the “dry stone corbelling technique” used on similar buildings called “trulli” located in Apulia of southern Italy (Paich, 2010, p. 318). …show more content…
Begger discusses the idea of maps being neutral and how this is a false statement, this is the idea of social reproduction; mechanisms by which a social order perpetuates itself. The idea of lines on a map dividing different countries does just that, it divides them, it promotes the idea of difference. While nationalism and pride for one’s nation is not a bad thing, culture should fit into the equation as well, where maps further divide regions, culture breaks that division with inclusion. Another relation between the article and ideas brought up in lecture is the idea of Monoculturalism and multiculturalism or transculturalism. Monoculturalism is the idea of one social or cultural group believing their culture is superior to other cultures and attempts to suppress other cultural practices and prevail as the dominant culture. Another key idea brought up by Begger is transcultural. Transculture meaning being able to see oneself expanding beyond their dominant culture and seeing the self as similar to the ‘other’ and then valuing each culture as