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To cite this article: Daniel Mato (2014) Stuart Hall on doing cultural studies, Inter-Asia Cultural Studies,
15:2, 202-204, DOI: 10.1080/14649373.2014.917862
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Inter-Asia Cultural Studies, 2014
Vol. 15, No. 2, 202204, http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/14649373.2014.917862
Daniel MATO
Beyond being an accomplished and esteemed by what I perceived as a rapid and depoliti-
intellectual, Stuart Hall was a truly remarkable cizing institutionalization of Cultural
and fine person. I say this especially because of Studies in the United States, and its increas-
his modesty, his generosity, his warmth, and ing influence in certain academic circles in
his interest and respect in listening to and Latin America. In fact, the focus of my
valuing others peoples words, sentiments, lecture at that conference was precisely that
and interests. While we met in person only problem, and the associated amnesia of
on a few occasions and maintained sparse those Latin American colleagues regarding
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email exchanges, because of those very qual- the importance of pre-existing traditions of
ities that he exuded as a human beinghis intellectual practices in culture and power
worldwide recognition notwithstandingI in this part of the world. At the time, I was
came to consider him a dear friend, beyond a coordinating a Working Group of the Latin
very significant intellectual reference, or even American Council on Social Sciences
a Master, as I once remarked to him. In fact, I (CLACSO) that was preparing a publication
will always remember the occasion when I on studies and other intellectual practices in
mentioned this to him. It came up, unexpect- culture and power.
edly for both, at a conference reception when Even though at that point I had read only
we were talking while having a drink, and a a few of Stuarts articles, a few years earlier I
graduate student, whom neither of us knew, had had the opportunity to learn about his
came up to us, introduced himself and began political intellectual tradition first-hand,
to tell Stuart about his dissertation research. I through his personal accounts of some
marvelled at how Stuart listened graciously crucial nodes in his life, while we were both
and intently, commenting and inquiring attending the week-long Wenner-Gren Foun-
about the subject in earnest simplicity, offering dation Symposium in Mijas, Spain in June of
his thoughts and perspective as though a col- 1994. At the dinner table, again, evening
league or even a mentor. Eventually the after evening I eagerly listened to him speak
student took his leave; it was then that I about the importance of the feminist and
turned to Stuart andspontaneouslysaid: anti-nuclear movements in his life, on his
Stuart, you are truly a Master. He looked experience at the New Left Review, on his
at me surprised, albeit with a knowing smile, reflection on Gramsci and the idea of the
took me by the elbow, and said: Come on, organic intellectual, among a number of
Daniel!, as though trying to brush off an other topics. When I next had the pleasure
undue spotlight. He was a brilliant yet unas- of meeting up with Stuart, at that conference
suming and down-to-earth person. in Birmingham, I thought that it would be
One of the ways in which Stuart became particularly valuable to include an article by
a significant reference for me personally and Stuart in the book I was preparing with the
professionally has to do with a conversation CLACSO Working Group. Thus, one
we had at a dinner in Birmingham (UK), in evening at dinner, I asked him to take part
June of 2000, during the Crossroads in Cul- in the book by writing an essay on Cultural
tural Studies Conference. I had been Studies and the importance of practice. He
invited to speak at the conference at a had a surprising response that has stuck
moment when I was profoundly concerned with me to this day because I found it
personally illuminating and inspiring: Look, independent race equality think tank, dedi-
Daniel, I am not writing on Cultural Studies any cated to generate intelligence for a multi-
more, I am dedicated to doing Cultural Studies. ethnic Britain through research, network
Of course, I immediately asked him what he building, leading debate, and policy engage-
was doing in that regard, and he told me he ment. Runnymede set up a 23 member
was involved in a public debate on race and Commission, in January 1998, with the
racism in Great Britain. A few years ago, I purpose of analysing the current state of
was fortunate enough to tell Stuart how multi-ethnic Britain and propose ways of
meaningful his comment had been to me countering racial discrimination and disad-
and my work, as I shared with him an vantage, making Britain a confident and
article about the work I was doing with a vibrant multicultural society at ease with its
number of intellectuals from indigenous rich diversity. The Commission published
and Afro-descendant peoples in various its findings and recommendations in
countries throughout Latin America who October 2000, in The Parekh Report (per the
were seeking to create and/or strengthen name of the Commissions president). The
their own universities and other programmes report has been considered and reviewed
Downloaded by [Mr Daniel Mato] at 16:19 07 July 2014
Notes
the politics of theory. Not theory as the
1. See http://www.runnymedetrust.org/.
will to truth, but theory as a set of con-
2. See http://www.theguardian.com/uk/2000/
tested, localized, conjunctural knowl- oct/15/britishidentity.comment1.
edges, which have to be debated in a
dialogical way. But also as a practice
which always thinks about its interven- Reference
tion in a world in which it would
Hall, Stuart. (1992) 1996. Cultural Studies and Its
make some difference, in which it Theoretical Legacies. In Stuart Hall. Critical
would have some effect. Finally, a prac- Dialoques in Cultural Studies, edited by David
tice which understands the need for Morley and Kuan-Hsing Chen, 262275.
intellectual modesty. I do think there is London: Routledge.
a difference in the world between under-
standing the politics of intellectual work
and substituting intellectual work for Authors biography
politics. (Hall [1992] 1996, 274275) Daniel Mato is Principal Researcher at the
National Scientific and Technical Research Council
It is worth noting that a few pages (CONICET) and Universidad Nacional Tres de
before, in the same article, Hall emphasized Febrero (UNTREF), Buenos Aires, Argentina. Since
that his was not an anti-theoretical position. 2007 he has been the Chair of the Programme on Cul-
As he put it: tural Diversity and Interculturality in Higher Edu-
cation of the UNESCO International Institute for
Im extremely anxious that you should Higher Education in Latin America and the Carib-
not decode what Im saying as an anti- bean (UNESCO-IESALC). Up to 2010 he was Full
theoretical discourse. It is not anti-theory, Professor at Universidad Central de Venezuela.
Since 1986 he has developed several experiences of
but it does have something to do with
collaboration with intellectuals and organizations of
the conditions and problems of develop-
indigenous and Afro-descendant peoples. He has
ing intellectual and theoretical work as a also been a visiting professor in universities of
political practice. It is an extremely diffi- Spain, United States and various Latin American
cult road, not resolving the tensions countries.
between those two requirements, but
living with them. (Hall [1992] 1996, 268) Contact address: Centro Interdisciplinario de Estu-
dios Avanzados. Universidad Nacional Tres de
I read these reflections as testimony to a Febrero. Av Santa Fe 794 (3P). Ciudad de Buenos
life lived in the endeavour of a dynamic Aires. C1059ABO. Argentina.