R.I.P James C. Scott

Despite being a star academic, he was kind enough to return my emails when I was an MA student. His Weapons of the Weak was influential in political thinking, and his Seeing Like a State was a major source for me retreating from a particular radical politics. In my Rice years, my research focus changed, but he was always a memorable guide.

Perplexity roundup:

James C. Scott was an influential American political scientist and anthropologist specializing in comparative politics[1][4]. Here are the key points about his life and work:

1. Background and Career:

– Born on December 2, 1936, in Mount Holly, New Jersey, and passed away on July 19, 2024[1].
– Received his bachelor’s degree from Williams College and his MA and PhD in political science from Yale University[1][4].
– Taught at the University of Wisconsin–Madison until 1976, then joined Yale University as Sterling Professor of Political Science and Professor of Anthropology[1][4].

1. Research Focus:

– Specialized in comparative studies of agrarian and non-state societies, subaltern politics, anarchism, and high modernism[1].
– His primary research centered on peasants of Southeast Asia and their strategies of resistance to various forms of domination[1].
– Conducted extensive fieldwork, including 14 months in a village in Kedah, Malaysia, between 1978 and 1980[1].

1. Key Contributions:

– Illuminated the mentality of small farmers and peasants, explaining the logic behind their subsistence security and resistance to state interventions[3].
– Developed concepts such as “weapons of the weak” and “everyday forms of resistance” to describe how subordinate groups resist authority[3][5].
– Argued for the importance of understanding local practical knowledge and traditional practices in social engineering projects[3].

1. Notable Works:

– “Weapons of the Weak: Everyday Forms of Peasant Resistance” (1985)
– “Domination and the Arts of Resistance” (1990)
– “Seeing Like a State: How Certain Schemes to Improve the Human Condition Have Failed” (1998)
– “The Art of Not Being Governed: An Anarchist History of Upland Southeast Asia” (2009)[4][5]

1. Academic Influence:

– His work crossed regional and disciplinary boundaries, influencing fields such as anthropology, agrarian studies, and history[3].
– Directed Yale’s Program in Agrarian Studies since 1991[1][4].
– Received numerous grants and fellowships from the National Science Foundation and the Guggenheim Foundation[2].

James C. Scott’s research and insights have significantly impacted our understanding of power dynamics, resistance, and state-society relations, making him a highly influential figure in political science and anthropology.

Citations:
1. Wikipedia – James C. Scott
2. Yale Anthropology – James Scott
3. Fukuoka Prize – James C. Scott Laureate Details
4. Yale Political Science – James Scott
5. ArtReview – James C. Scott: Much-Referenced Anarchist Thinker (1936-2024)