J.F. Cooper, East European and African-American Intellectuals:

Relativising Cultural Relativism

Abstract

The bulk of the article examines three cases of literary, intellectual, and cultural debate: the interracial implications of the "Leatherstocking" pentalogy (1823-1841) of J. Fenimore Cooper; the discussion inside the community of African-American intellectuals (late 19th to late 20th century) as to the best positioning of their ethnic community inside the surrounding ethno-cultural majority; and the debates (primarily on finding a "third way", a kind of mediation) of a small Eastern European society regarding its rapport to the dynamically evolving West.
These three examples (deliberately chosen so as to be totally different from one another in their sources and shapes) have much in common. They indicate that the differences between cultures and races are not absolute, but rather relative. They show convincingly that there are common human reactions to the process of "modernisation" (rationalism, alienation, industrial urbanisation, break-up of traditional bonds of kinship and community, etc.). Such reactions are not reduced to either recalcitrance and adversity or to mere enthusiastic approval. Most often they search for negotiated solutions of compromise; among the chief mediating forces are particularly those of aesthetic production and of religious faith.
Diversity and cultural relativism, the author concludes, can be beneficial energies, but only on the condition that they understand dialectically their own limitations and relativity. In this way we can hope for the gradual emergence of a new, more democratic, and broader kind of humanism. The careful study of past historical responses can be helpful in our grasp of current incertitudes and aporias.

Opsomming
Die artikel ondersoek hoofsaaklik drie voorbeelde van literêre, intellektuele en kulturele debat: die interrassige implikasies van die Leatherstocking pentalogie (1823-1841) van J. Fenimore Cooper, die bespreking in die binnekringe van die African-American intellektueles (laat 19de tot laat 20ste eeu) oor die beste posisionering van hulle etniese gemeenskap binne die omringende etnies-kulturele meerderheid, en die debatte (primêr ingestel op die verkryging van 'n derde weg as 'n soort bemiddeling) van 'n klein Oos-Europese gemeenskap rakende hulle rapport met die dinamies evoluerende weste. 

Bogemelde drie voorbeelde (opsetlik gekies vir die feit dat hulle radikaal van mekaar verskil met betrekking tot herkoms sowel as formaat) het in werklikheid veel gemeen. Hulle dui aan dat verskille tussen kulture en rasse nie absoluut is nie, maar eerder as relatief beskou moet word. Hulle bewys onteenseglik dat daar 'n algemene menslike respons is op die proses van modernisasie (rasionalisme, vervreemding, industriële verstedeliking, disintegrasie van tradisionele en gemeenskapsbande). Hierdie reaksies kan nie sondermeer afgemaak word as onwilligheid om verandering te aanvaar, of as vyandigheid nie. Nog minder kan dit gereduseer word tot geestdriftige goedkeuring. Merendeels konstitueer dergelike reaksies 'n soeke na onderhandelde kompromisoplos­sings waarvan die hoof versoeningsmagte uit estetiese produksie en godsdienstige geloof bestaan.
Die skrywer kom tot die slotsom dat diversiteit en kulturele relativisme as wedersyds voordelige energie beskou moet word, mits hulle beperkinge en relativisme dialekties verstaan word. Sodoende kan een hoop op die geleidelike totstandkoming van 'n nuwe, meer demokratiese en omvangryker humanisme. 'n Deeglike studie van geskiedkundige response kan grootliks bydra tot ons eie insig in huidige onsekerhede en aporias.