PEOPLE IN CONTEXT J. Cowan’s Dance and the Body Politic in Northern Greece

These are ruminations based on the excerpt provided in Ch. 02 of Blasco & Wardle's How to Read Ethnography

A sweet reward with many names -- I’ve considered myself a coffee lover since I was nine, and I say that I am fortunate to live in both a time and place which permits me to indulge in how I like my coffee.. A warm gesture, in the United States a symbol of hospitality and a necessity, in Italy eclectic being both lifeblood and a dessert, while in northern Greece (a 90s) political potable flavored with the issue of Space.

Understanding Sohosian gender relations through the institutional character of the ‘Kafeteria’. What readers today are revisiting is a classic favorite from the issue of consumer politics, that is the gender role assignment affixed in particular commodities. In Cowan’s account, this had occurred on two levels: first in the typical, edible commodities themselves, and second is space which can be discussed as an (abstract) commodity. It may also be contended that the second carries geopolitical overtones.

The labeling of foods as either ‘masculine’ or ‘feminine’ in accordance to flavors and or food group isn’t an original or an exclusive practice to cultures in northern Greece. It has been mentioned in Cowan’s scribing that desserts or sweets are identified to be something that women would be inclined to indulge in as it illustrates some sense of sociability. Men on the other hand identified more with stronger tasting, or pungent smelling food. This is perhaps tied to the belief that consuming such food would add character to manhood.

In old times, coffee has been given a manly façade in the United States with its days promoting Yuban through television advertisements across the nation picturing mustached cowboys drinking down the fix. The Yuban advertisement had seemed to set the standard, as it seems unthinkable to picture these cowboys let alone ‘manly men’ drinking.. tea? There was that notion of a cup with an energetic personality, a jolt, activeness, alertness and agility --- traits easily associated with the male character. What is also interesting of vintage coffee is how the brands of the founding products were either male or unisex, but never female. Most exemplary of this is bay area’s pride, Hills Bros. from 1878.

Returning to Cowan, although the kafeteria is renowned to serve coffee, it doesn’t necessarily restrict the menu to it. Customers are free to order other liquid refreshments. Further, Grecian culture did not necessarily hint that coffee was a drink for men. A coffeehouse would also differ from a tavern in many respects from style to substance. It is then of particular fascination to ask why of all public spaces had the kafeterie been branded as a male-territory institution. On the one end, it is a curious point to identify who had influenced or how Grecian society had become oriented with the idea of the coffeehouse. This consideration plays a great role in determining the origins of branding. Or has it all been summed down, bluntly to say that women have no legitimate place in public hang outs?

Demonstrations of diversity. The idea of Diversity plays a role in the structure of Cowan’s argument in the sense that it has an intimate relationship with the concept of ‘institution’ – it gives a scope and matter for the rules and protocols to revolve around. Structure-wise, it paints the reader a picture using the five-W’s and the occasional ‘H’. But delving deeper into the argument, there, are presented the actors who may partake in the coffeehouse sub-culture, and the conditions that they must abide to. There is the politics of exclusivity, particularly the presence of an abstract authority which powers over practice.

It was observable that the question of ‘who’ was immediately tied to the additional condition of age. These twin aspects assist in the subtle hinting of who may freely explore which kafeteria territory.

One shop, though regarded as a male space for most parts of the day, predominantly caters to the highschool patrons of both genders. Socialization is freely practiced and without brows raised, save for disagreement in debates. It is however unclear whether female consumers are looked on with the same degree of theoretical disdain as that of solo, female coffeehouse goers in the second and third example Kafeteries. The latter two discussed are hangouts of the youth and men and their prime. These two are more concrete examples as regards the element of the time of day as Cowan further mentions that female patrons came and left these kafeteries, always in group/s during the afternoon, but never alone. Aside from the additional condition of a single civil status, a supposed comfort in numbers does not necessarily grant them much security against popular male opinion and appreciated or unappreciated glances.

Different roles and forms of agencies. Cowan’s observations from that particular site visit would orient her readers with five perspectives she quaintly dubs as ‘voices’ representing actors from across the spectrum: conservative, to balanced, and lastly liberal.

Beginning with Stellios, he represents one of the traditional notions that women only have a singular motive in their visit/s to the kafeterie-- that is anticipation for the possibility for sexual congress. He insists that there is such attraction to the place, hinted to the idea that all things forbidden or taboo are automatically, naturally irresistible. But in a more particular focus on Stellios, Cowan mainly highlights a dialogue about his wife, where in quoting lines he contends that she is dissatisfied with her personal life. In agency, Stellios is recognized to have power and influence over his wife for the apparent reason that he is a husband who adheres to traditional values. Though having asked her if she wanted to attend the event, he may not necessarily be giving her a sense of free will. Depending on interpretation, he may be playing the devil’s advocate. He may also represent the social actor that sparks the possibility for debate if not an instrument to coach out reactions from others, to which he was successful in doing, seen in Amalia’s rebuttal. In the case of the wife of Stellios, once again it is reminded that she was quoted in her absence. Had she been there with her husband, it is highly unlikely that she would assert anything beyond the dominant ideology because she considers harmony with him as her sole genuine interest. 

Cowan could not be any more precise about her description of the married female voice as ‘tongue-tied’ and ‘ambivalent’.. There is no way in telling what she is really thinking, but as human nature would have it, no matter how much she will deny for each chance she will always have masked a conscious fascination.

This is the case with most married women in Sohos, where there is the fear of the consequences of admitting or asserting and most crucially, pursuing interests. Those who did not conform await the possibility at disruption of a supposed harmonious balance in the home – where there is the obedience of
the wife in return for protection, respect and everything else that a great husband deemed by Grecian culture could provide. The natural culprits are gossip, mockery and censure, which may then bring about verbal and/or physical retaliation from the husband. But perhaps what would be considered the worst offshoot would be its effect on the family as a unit. If permitted to speculate, granted that there is a female child there is the distinct possibility that she will be labeled throughout her most crucial years in development and socialization as a determined flirt just like her mother. And her daughter may not be excused either. In consideration of this, it’s not solely the home-strife that the married woman fears, but the idea of having failed at her duty of upholding the public image of family unity. For these women, the structure always wins.

Examples of personalities comprising the middle-point of the spectrum are presented in the accounts of Anna and her Gk. Jane Doe companion. As married women they share the same predicament but differ from the most females of mainstream society because they are permitted a certain degree of
autonomy by their spouses who were sincerely nudging them at participation or experience of public social life. These spouses are apparently more liberal-minded compared to those previously discussed, perhaps believing that women should be allowed their share of leisure. Though experiencing slight lenience from their husbands, they are still not excluded from examination through the societal lens. In this instance, it may be said that they are half-assertive – as they may choose to carry out a certain course of action, but not fully owning up to their choice out of residual fear of (disobeying tradition).

The fifth voice comprising of Soula and Amalia represent the opposite extreme. As girls, single no doubt, they have a greater degree of autonomy in comparison to others located on the spectrum. What accounts for this is the level of tolerance Grecian society grants, but this does not make the presence of girls in the kafeterie uncontroversial. Amalia is observed to be the most frank and animated character compared to Soula in the dialogues, much reminiscent of Elizabeth Bennett from Austin’s Pride and Prejudice. Her free attitude towards speech, if general Grecian society would examine it, would be forgivable for the meantime as it is suggested that her thoughts be corrected if not, she is to keep them to herself once she is married (This insight, once again, if speculation is permitted). Both Soula and Amalia share a liberal (once compared to 90s Grecian society) conceptualization of what the female character should be – a non conformist, one who asserts and pursues her own varied interests without the need to mind the issue of reputation, and also, the renovation of the image of the woman ‘as subject and notobject’. Soula and Amalia are interpreted to be as social actors advancing for change. 

Their cause orientation enables them to potentially be competent active agents compared to those situated in the ‘balanced’ segment of the spectrum because they have most of what is required for mobilization. First, they have an assessment of the present situation, second, a prescription, and third, for now (considering the length of the excerpt) an assertive attitude. In recognition of the presence of these two characters, they have subconsciously taken the first step by intelligently setting a trend. They bring their perspective with them to the debated grounds, and by enjoying themselves while keeping their presence simple they have introduced a variation of artful protest.