Pat Robertson claims Haiti is cursed; earthquake caused by Haiti's pact with the devil.

[labete]

Originally Posted by Jess

Hope not to derail, but what is kyrachy/kyriarchy? I tried to look it up so I could read your post in context, but can't find a definition.

Much appreciated.

Sorry, I typed too fast and misspelled at least once. It's kyriarchy.

Kyriarchy – a neologism coined by Elisabeth Schussler Fiorenza and derived from the Greek words for “lord” or “master” (kyrios) and “to rule or dominate” (archein) which seeks to redefine the analytic category of patriarchy in terms of multiplicative intersecting structures of domination…Kyriarchy is best theorized as a complex pyramidal system of intersecting multiplicative social structures of superordination and subordination, of ruling and oppression.

Patriarchy – Literally means the rule of the father and is generally understood within feminist discourses in a dualistic sense as asserting the domination of all men over all women in equal terms. The theoretical adequacy of patriarchy has been challenged because, for instance, black men do not have control over white wo/men and some women (slave/mistresses) have power over subaltern women and men (slaves).

- Glossary, Wisdom Ways, Orbis Books New York 2001

Basically, it's a more complex model of power-over structures which acknowleges that while someone might have privilege (been misspelling that one all day!) in some areas, that same person may be lacking privilege in others. Under the standard "patriarchy keeps us down" rhetoric, it is understood that the people with most power in our culture (and yes, I'm being somewhat U.S.-centric, as it is what I know best) are white men. But what about white men who are blue collar workers? Or homeless? Or not able-bodied? Or transmen? Or gay? They may all still get privilege on the basis of race and gender, but privilege is not static and is relative and their resulting position in the kyriarchy may be significantly lower than, for example, a successful, able-bodied black male entrepeneur.

Does that help?