Hey again everyone! So my last blog post for this class will
focus on this week’s topic of structural violence and its effect on individuals,
specifically Haitians. As we discussed in class, structural violence can be
defined as the various social structures that limit individuals’ choices as
well as force them to have to take more risks. These structures can limit
individuals in the political and economic arenas of society. Furthermore,
societal values concerning gender, race, and class serve as mechanisms of
structural violence. With these major factors having such a profound impact on
how individuals operate within a society, their agency becomes increasingly
limited.
In Haiti, structural violence is both widespread and visible
and increasingly so after the devastating earthquake drew international
attention. However, the narrative of Haitians is warped by the lingering ideals
and tensions from periods of colonialism. When reading Gina Ulysse’s piece she
reveals how Haiti as a nation has fallen victim to “Othering”. This idea of
“Othering” takes place when people especially in the West, ignore or distance
themselves from the structural violence-taking place in Haiti through various
means. As a result Haiti becomes symbolically linked to human suffering, as if
it is an irrevocable condition. Furthermore, this justifies Westerners
ignorance towards Haiti and leaves them unaccountable for the colonial legacies
that certainly contribute to such mass suffering.
