Reviews

The Politics of Suffering: Indigenous Australia and the End of the Liberal Consensus by Peter Sutton

midlifehedgewitch's review against another edition

5.0

This is a book that anyone interested in understanding the dysfunction in remote Aboriginal communities in Australia should read. Peter Sutton is an anthropologist, linguist and pre-eminent expert on native title rights and law in Australia. He has lived and worked with Aboriginal communities for nearly 40 years.

In this book, Sutton argues that the 'liberal' solutions to Aboriginal issues, such as heavy investments in land rights law and the white bureaucracies supporting such structures, has come as at the expense of basic human rights for Aboriginal people -such as the right to not be sexually assaulted as a child or a woman. He also argues that cultural relativism, i.e. the argument that traditional culture is always best, that every element of culture is valid even if it causes pain and suffering to individuals and therefore must be kept- has been used by some sections of the Left to turn a blind eye to the appalling conditions in which some Aboriginal people find themselves.

This is not a book for the faint-hearted. Nor is it a book for closed-minded people. It is a book for those with genuine compassion and a progressive attitude towards entrenched poverty and dysfunction in Indigenous cultures.

klb72's review

2.0

I read this book for book club, otherwise would not have chosen it as, while I am concerned about the plight of indigenous communities in Australia, I have sadly placed this issue in the 'too hard' basket. Reading this book has definitely re-engaged me in the topic, however, I can't help but feel it is ultimately in Sutton's 'too hard' basket too, as he has much to say about what doesn't work, without providing much hope as to what does work. Symbolic reconciliation (the apology, the bridge walk etc) is described as decent, but possibly harming as reinforces the divide - us and them; practical reconciliation in some respects is tarred with the same brush. Sutton points out irreconcilable differences, but then seems to argue for same treatment. Aarrrggghhh! Sometimes I felt he was very much of one view and critical of others. But I then read a transcript of him appearing on Q&A and he wasn't like that at all. Plus, the guy has lived and worked with indigenous communities for decades, speaks at least three indigenous languages. He's hardly the bad guy, and sure knows more than me on this issue. Still got me hot and bothered. Where is that silver bullet that will solve all this?

It will certainly make for interesting discussion at book club...