IF YA SMELL WHAT THE HOCK IS COOKING??!!

Memories...

Thursday, November 02, 2006

As Political Science disciples, we tend to think (either consciously or sub-consciously) that we noe what is politics, or that we are so called the most "qualified" to talk about or analyze politics.

But are we really that good as what we think we are?

The problem i realize, from today's tutorial of Southeast Asian politics, (not a PS module), is that most Political Science majors look at politics with a pre-determined set of values, perceptions, theories, ideals, institutional arrangements, conditions, beliefs, knowledge... We look at politics in terms of issues, in terms of balance of power, in terms of structures, in terms of concepts, in terms of of policies, in terms of state of affairs...

We see an issue and we use what we have learnt previously from our political concepts, notions, models and institutions to seek and dissect the issue.

In other words, a lot of us make the mistake of seeing politics as a box. When we seek to open this box, we use what we noe best- a key, to unlock this box. We tend to forget that sometimes, we can use a hammer or an ET blade (learnt during army days) to smash the lock and open the box. This does not mean that we only know how to use a key. Notice that i use the word "sometimes" in my previous previous statement. Rather, what i mean is that we must rem to know how to use our hammer and ET blade when necessary, instead of permanently sticking to just a key.

Someone said this to me today, after the tutorial:

"Sorry to say this, but thats why i didn't major in Political Science".

That man is none other than my tutor, Mr Mohamad Arafat, and i ll really like to thank him for saying this to me. The way he has taught our tutorials is through looking at politics in terms of people.

Yes, people. Looking beyond the key to the box and at the hammer instead. Kinda akin to an anthropological approach to politics, but i really enjoyed it coz i really learnt a lot from him. I dun really thank much of my past tutors, but i went up to him just now after our last tutorial and really expressed my regards and appreciation for him. Turns out that he might just be a TA, but his approach and outlook had actually earned some recognition overseas as well.

And yup, he is the 1st person to ever tell me that statement i highlighted above. And i m positive i ll rem him for that. =)

The Incredible Hock